Complexity of a Soul
by Khilai
Summary: Every child desires the love and pride of his father, and Axl is no exception. But how far will this one innocent wish drive him to go?
1. An Assasin's Usual Mission

_**Disclaimer: **I only want to say this once;I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to Capcom. _

_Okay, I just want to pre-warn you, now. If you're one of those people that don't like Axl, you probably shouldn't read this; he's the main character. Oh, and second thing is, Red isn't portrayed as he normally is. If you don't mind this, then go on ahead._

-

He stared into the tattered base, feelings of uncertainty plaguing his mind. He backed up a little, being cautious as not to bump into the larger Reploid who towered over him. The hand of the greater figure pressed against the young Reploid's shoulder, and he felt pressure surge through his body. There was no choice for him; he had to obey the orders of his mentor, or he would have no place to call home. Although he had regrets, when he would look up into the elder's eyes, he believed that everything was alright.

"This is it. Are you ready?" Moonlight flashed over the crimson face of the tall Reploid, revealing a jagged scar that ran down his right eye. He was none other than the beloved leader of the Red Alert Syndicate, as well as Axl's father figure. He rubbed the younger's shoulder, as if to comfort him. "You know that we need you for this. You're very special, Axl."

"..I'm always ready..." Axl stared down at ground, moving out of Red's grasp. His tone was filled with misery, regret, and uneasyness. "I know what we have to do. Can we just get this over with, Red?"

Normally, he would love the missions they went on together, as he loved constant action and the feeling of adventure. But now, the attitudes of his comrades had begun to change toward him - and he didn't like it. '_Why is everyone so dependent on the outcome of our missions? Why does it matter what I collect and who I kill?'_

Not too long ago, his friends at Red Alert treated him as an equal, and even protected him from danger or harm. Now, their only concern was about the mission, and they never seemed to find the time to care for _him_ anymore. Everything that was once so wonderful had suddenly changed, forcing Axl into a feeling of numbness.The child couldn't take the neglect he was repeatedly given much longer.

A shake from Red forced Axl back into reality. He took a quick glance at the structure, before nodding slowly. Red grinned, kicking open the door to the base. He gently shoved Axl in a short distance, and returned to his former defensive position.

"You know where to go." Red nodded assuringly, and hid behind the side wall, waiting for the planned task to be done. "Don't mess this up, okay?"

"Sure...Whatever you say." With that, he slid to the metallic wall, his back parallel to it. He walked with extreme caution, and his footsteps were made with his best precision, allowing him to move without fear of being detected. Occasionally, he would stop to listen to his surroundings, which did cause him to make a misstep. Despite this, he quickly learned that the guards positioned around the perimeter were inexperienced. A single shot in any vital area was enough to take them down effortlessly. He even earned a little bit of money off them.

Once he finally reached the central hall, he made his way to the front door of the main office, kicking the door lightly, before quickly moving to the side. Patiently, he waited, until an ashen colored, silver-haired Reploid opened the door, checking for the source of the noise. Before he could even turn in Axl's direction, he felt the plasma pierce through his chest, and fell to the floor. Axl kicked the unconscious Reploid's head, and shuddered as a sickening cracking sound reverberated vaguely through the halls. Again, Axl found his behavior astounding, even to himself; however, he decided that there would be time to contemplate these matters, once he completed the task at hand. He knelt to the ground, stealing the DNA data from the victim with expertise.

"This..Why am I doing this?" Axl said quietly to himself, examining the limp body. He couldn't completely force the thought from his mind. "I don't understand...Red says it's 'Kill or be killed' in this world, but.." He slowly rose from the floor, a cerulean aura gleaming over his body. In an instant, his physical appearance had shifted to that of the dead Reploid, allowing him to take on all the characteristics of the one he now knew as Aluce. He walked carefully in, his eyes fixed on the shorter Reploid before him.

"What happened?" He shouted, his cigar almost slipping from his mouth. "What was that noise!"

"Relax. It was nothing." Axl, who remained disguised as Aluce, kept his eyes focused on his new prey and prepared to strike it down. "Why so tense?"

The smaller Reploid glanced downward, grunting in disgust. "Y'know, they found out about our plans, Aluce." He cursed under his breath for a moment, but then looked back up at Axl. "I don't understand. We were very careful, and..."

"Oh, really?" cut in Axl, "Are you sure about that?" He smirked at the short one, stepping backward as he did so.

The stout Reploid gasped, and immediately froze for a moment. He then blinked, and almost lost his balance, "You...You're the traitor! How could you, of all people...How could you betray me?" He looked at his predator in panic, as a handgun materialized in Axl's hand.

"Hm, funny thing about this." The aura returned, shimmering over Axl's feigned body. The glowing slowly began to subside, revealing his original format. He laughed quietly, aiming his gun at the shorter one's oversized cranium. "He didn't betray you it all. Nah, in fact, I took care of him a second ago." With this, the pistol fired a plasma shot, striking the desired target. The dazed Reploid gazed up at his murderer in awe, and fell backward, a loud slamming noise ringing throughout the base.

"How...How did you-" He was cut off by Red's scythe, cutting cleanly across his throat. He took in his final dying gasps, and before he could finish his final words, he fell completely limp. This allowed Axl the DNA needed to complete the mission; however, even though the mission had been accomplished, he felt nothing. There was no joy, or feelings of pride afterward. He stared down into the cold, lifeless eyes, and could feel no remorse for his victim.

'_What's wrong with me? I can't even feel guilt anymore. It's all so natural to me, now.'_ The thought caused him to shake lightly, but again, Red's voice quickly brought him back down to Earth.

"You did good, kid." Red's voice echoed faintly through the hallways, as he ran his fingers through Axl's spiked orange hair. "I'm proud of you. Now, I just need one more thing from you."

"Um, alright, what is it?" Axl asked, his facial features alight with curiousity. Red shook his head, concealing his humorless laughter.

"What, you think I'm going to tell you here?" replied Red, turning his head sharply away from Axl. "I'd prefer the comfort of my own home, wouldn't you say? Besides, you never got around to destroying the security systems. If we stay, we'll be caught."

"..I was going to, but I just wanted to finish this as fast as I could," Axl answered, his voice woven with shame and sadness. "I thought maybe you'd want to get home sooner."

"Don't try to place blame on me. I think what you mean is, _you_ wanted to get home sooner," Red retorted, shaking his head. "Well then, I guess you're getting what you want. Happy?"

Axl stared sadly at the ground, shaking his head slowly. The security systems began to activate, and the base seemed to come alive. The sound of alarms pierced the unnerving silence between father and son, while a monotone, computerized voice shouted 'Warning! Warning!' repetitively. Red motioned toward the nearest exit, and had begun to make for it. Axl remained oblivious to the happenings around him, his eyes fixed with intensity.

A few moments had passed, and the boy had not come out. Red rolled his eyes scornfully, rushing back inside. Security cameras protruded from the walls, searching for the He grabbed Axl by his arm, and pulled him out the way he had come.

"What's wrong with you? I told you we had to get out of there!" Red muttered angrily. "Don't you pay attention? If one of those cameras caught a glimpse of you..." He trailed off, clenching his fists in frustration. Finally, he shook his head, unable to form words. He looked off into the distance, the direction of Red Alert's base, and had begun running for home.

"Father," Axl whispered softly, after Red was out of hearing range. "Why don't you love me?" A single tear rolled down his cheek, pleading for an answer. Somehow, he would earn the pride of his father. He made a promise to himself, that he would never give up, until Red could truly say he loved his child. Axl nodded gently, prepared go the distance to achieve this. Then, he bounded off after Red, a false smile replacing the sadness.

...If only he had known then, just how vast that distance really was...

-

_First chapter of first ever fanfic, and I hope it was okay. _

****_It's also the revised version._

_Special thanks to **Menolly5600**, for the plot suggestion, and for pointing out my grammar errors; and also to **moonymonster**, for correcting my formatting problems, and for showing me some of the content was unclear. Everything does look a bit cleaner now, doesn't it?_

_Remember: I love constructive criticism. If I make any kind of mistake, or something is unclear, feel free to slap me and tell me what it is! It does happen a lot, seeing as though I don't have any special word program that underlines my errors, or a spell check._


	2. Home of the Heartless

-

The entrance doors to the Red Alert base creaked slightly, and Red nonchalantly stepped inside. Some of the other members gathered around, anxious to see the spoils and prizes of the mission. A good glare from their leader caused them to back off, and make way for him. Red paused, waiting for Axl to arrive. It seemed to be minutes, before he finally stumbled in. He gave his friends a feigned smile, trying to assure them that everything had gone as planned. However, they apparently did not quite get the message, and began to ask the youth questions.

"So," asked Wind Crowrang, nudging Axl's arm, "Did you really take them all down? Everything went accordingly?" Some of the others nodded, the same question nagging their minds. Axl tried to smile, in an attempt to reassure them. However, no expression formed on his blank features. He sighed deeply, his eyes fixing on the floor beneath them.

"No, I'm not hurt, thanks for asking." Axl replied bitterly. Some of the others narrowed their eyes at the remark, and Ride Boarski even left the room. Some just couldn't tolerate the attitude he had been giving lately. None of them could possibly understand the grief; Red treated each of them as friends should treat each other. It had always been this way, it seemed only Axl was being left out of it all. Shaking the thoughts off, he focused his gaze on Wind Crowrang.

"I'm not really sure if I killed off all of 'em. But I got the organization's leader, and most of the enemy officers under him. That's the most important stuff, isn't it?" He looked at the others, who looked pleased. A few, such as Splash Warfly, merely scoffed, as they never did take to Axl too well. That was fine with him, especially in his current state. Everyone had something against him, even if it wasn't truly him at fault. It had become more so lately, and he couldn't find an explanation for it. Not too long ago, missions had been going badly, and he often found himself at the center of everyone's anger. With these thoughts in his head, he drifted to one of his dazed states.

- _Flashback_-

_Flame Hyenard pushed through a crowd of some of his comerades, growling in his canine-like fashion. His expression was enough to tell something had gone wrong, and everyone who truly knew him, was smart enough to avoid him when he was in such moods; with the exception of one innocent young Reploid. On the way to his own room, he met up with Axl, who watched him with childlike curiousity. Axl tugged lightly on Hyenard's arm, unable to conceal the eagerness he felt inside._

_"Hyenard! Hyenard" He shouted, giving Hyenard's arm a final jerk. "What's the matter? You look like you just lost a bet, or your puppy just died, or maybe someone stole something from you..." Running out of possible ideas, Axl just restated himself. "What's wrong"_

_Hyenard snarled, his metallic muzzle wrinkling slightly, and his canine lips curling to reveal his sharp ivory fangs. Axl had always been persistant though, and he continued to question further, despite the signs he was given._

_"Please, tell me! Maybe I can help somehow, or tell the person who made you mad off." Axl crossed his arms confidently, and drew himself to full height, trying to make himself look mighty. Flame Hyenard narrowed his eyes, sending a vicious glare at the interrogating child. He was allowing Axl one last chance to back off, trying to show he was not in any mood for conversation. At any other time, Hyenard and Axl got along quite well. The youth sighed in frustration, and prodded Hyenard softly, urging him to explain himself. When no response came, he asked one final time._

_"You know you want to tell me, and get it off your mind. Red says that makes people feel better." Axl pressed on, and smiled enthusiastically, seeing that Hyenard had turned towards him. _

_"The only thing that would make me feel better right now, is tearing apart that disgusting mass of flesh you call a face, and gouging out your little green eyes." Hyenard retorted, staring angrily at the kid. Axl slid to the ground, with his face downward. He choked and sniffled, before tears started flowing from his visionaries. Taking a step forward, Hyenard knelt to the ground, having felt guilty for what he had said._

_"Axl, I'm so sorry. It's just been a rough day, with missions and such." said Hyenard, ruffling Axl's soft, spiky hair. "My anger's not meant for you. I didn't mean a word of it."_

_"It's okay, Hyenard. I know you didn't" replied Axl, who now swallowed his tears. "So, I'm not mad."_

_Hyenard chuckled. "Neither am I, Axl. Neither am I."_

_-_

He felt a flash of happiness, as he replayed that day perfectly. That was why it had been so difficult for him when he discovered Hyenard had become infected with a virus. Axl became a little saddened at the memories, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a sharp breath being drawn in.

"Funny," Red grumbled, breaking the awkward silence. "You forgot to mention how you completely forgot to destroy the security mechanisms." He chuckled bitterly, flicking his eyes to Axl. The child could almost sense the cold stares of the rest of the Syndicate. He felt reprehensible rage flare within him, and shot Red a nasty look.

"I didn't 'forget' anything," snapped Axl, shifting his malevolent glare to the floor. His tone bled with malice, and it made clear he was still angry. "I was only thinking about what _you_ might of wanted! Strange, isn't it? Isn't it so weird that I'm _always_ thinking about you, but you could give a sh-" He was abruptly interrupted by Red.

"If you're as thoughtful as you claim to be, then you would have followed my instruction. However, you failed to do that," Red explained, a revolting look struck onto his features. "Therefore, the mission wasn't as successful as anticipated. We missed out on a lot of spoils and treasures. So, if you were truly thinking of what's best for someone other than yourself, you wouldn't have held the potential of the mission down." He emphasized the word 'yourself,' which had gotten his point across.

"I know what you're trying to accomplish," came an elderly voice. It belonged to Snipe Anteater, an intelligent, long-time friend of Red's. "But don't do anything you'd regret. This boy has a lot of concievable power. If you don't take caution, it could mean the-"

"A concievable power he isn't using the right way," Red cut in, correcting the ancient Reploid. "Look, you guys can go about your business. Axl and I have a few concerns we need to sort through."

Everyone respected Red's wishes, especially in these conflicting situations. Slowly, one by one, they turned, each individually breaking off into different parts of the base. Silence had fallen over the area, where both father and son eyed each other, and exchanged malignant glances. Part of Axl's heart was screaming, ruthlessly wanting to tear Red apart. But, the other half of him was crying in another manner, wanting the love and admiration of his father. He surrendered to Red's vicious glare, and now tried to drop the matter.

"It's okay, nevermind anything I said earlier," Axl sighed deeply. "But there was something you wanted to ask me about earlier. What was it?"

Red snapped up in realization, discarding his anger as well. "It's fine, you're just having a rough day, after all. Isn't that so?" Axl nodded, somewhat reluctantly. He flashed his mentor a smile, pleased all harsh words and bitterness could be forgiven. At this moment, he felt like his prayers were being answered. Maybe it wouldn't be so difficult to gain affection.

"So, um, what is it you want to talk to me about?" Axl said shortly, trying to avoid Red's question.

"As I have told you many times, you're a very special Reploid. You have capabilities far beyond those I've ever witnessed," Axl could feel his spirits lifting, and his eyes sparkled to reflect this. "One of these capabilities, is the ability to copy other Reploids. I have no idea how you do it, but it's always been our secret weapon. It's what seperates us from all those low-life hunters. Now, with the use of DNA, you've achieved great things. I believe it could help the rest of us, as well."

Axl thought for a moment. "What do you mean? How could I help you?"

"I would like the DNA data you have collected." Red stood over him, with his hand extended, waiting for the data. Axl blinked, his eyes still full of questions.

"But, you've never asked me for the data before..." Axl mumbled under his breath. His better judgement told him to conceal the data from Red, despite the reaction that might be the outcome. However, Red was like a father to him. The only parental figure he'd ever had. And a parent had no reason to hate his child, did he?

"Are you saying you won't do it?" Red asked, watching Axl closely. The young one made no movement to give up the DNA data, and Red's left eye seemed to flash with a hint of frustration. "You seem hesitant. Do you not trust me?"

"No, Red, of course I trust you..." Axl said softly, "You know that...But...I think it'd just be better if I kept it. He looked up at Red, his eyes flickering with hope. Surely he'd understand his point of view. "I just don't know what you'd want it for...Can't you tell me?"

Red continued to urge him, desiring the data. "It's not your business what it's used for. You obviously don't trust my judgement, therefore you won't give me the data." He placed his hand under Axl's chin, and raised his head up. Red looked the younger Reploid in the eyes, shooting him a look that could kill even the bravest of warriors. "Is that your decision, Axl?"

Axl opened his mouth to speak, still unsure of what to say at the moment. But, before he could find the right words, Red drew his fist back, and slammed it into the side of Axl's face, sending him into a nearby wall. An expression of horror was marked upon the child's countenance, as tears began to take formation in his emerald eyes. It took everything within his power to keep them back. Red then proceeded to kick him, uncontrollable fury coursing through his mind. The youth closed his eyes, pulling his legs in as far as they'd go, and rested his shaking arms over them, in a defensive position.

After a few minutes of the irrational torment, Red spit toward Axl in disgust, turning his back toward the young one, in preparation to leave. Before he departed, however, he uttered something to Axl.

"I'm giving you this last chance to think about what you want. But, if you won't cooperate with me, I'll take it by force. I _will_ have the data, whether you give it to me willingly, or I take it from your cold, dead hands." And just like that, the shadowy form faded off in the distance, leaving the beaten teen on the floor.

It had all happened so suddenly, so cruelly...Axl gazed hopefully up at the spot where had Red once stood, and could almost see him returning. However, the minutes rolled by, and the child had nothing, except for the loneliness that began invading his soul. He'd been left alone again; he was always alone. The small puddle of tears on Axl's stomach had grown considerably in the past minutes, as had his sadness. He had to leave the Syndicate - abandon everything he had ever known. There was no other choice for him, as he would not grant Red's request. Soon, that risky plan would come into action.

Cries of protest and hatred was audible to him, as were the sounds of angry words being exchanged amongst the others. However, he paid no attention to it's presence; it was meaningless to him, now. Axl just stared down at the same spot, now in disbelief, wondering what it was he had done so wrong.

-

_Also a revised version of what I had originally. _

_I hope I didn't kill the concept.. x.x_


	3. To Lose Everything

- - -

Nothing but fear and guilt troubled his conscience, as the thunderous sound of gunshot and destruction assaulted his mind. Running as fast as his metallic body would allow, Axl briefly glanced back at his pursuers, who were getting closer with every passing moment. He kept the tears that threatened to spill hidden as best of his ability, but to no avail. It was too much. How could one simple decision devastate one so much? Was the choice he made so unjust, especially if he was trying to protect the people around him?

Behind him, a seperate battle raged on, the human's civilization being slowly being reduced to rubble. Even a shriek from a human girl reached the retreating Reploid, causing him to lower his head shamefully. This was all so wrong, nothing of this sort was meant to happen. However, this brought him no comfort. More people were dying because of him.

Axl faintly gasped, as large plasma-like blast slammed into the ground a few feet beside him. Seeing his chance, he dived behind the remains of a once proud skyscraper, glancing back only when there was no danger of his head being blown off. As thoughts began swimming around in his mind, the child felt his love for life itself slipping away. The previous incident had left him with more emotional scars than it had physical, and he couldn't erase the horrific memory. He would be regarded as a villian no matter where he went, for his deeds were known to all around him. Axl was considered a 'traitor' to the ones he once called family, and a 'murderer' to all others.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do..." he whispered, speaking to no one in particular. He grimaced, looking down upon the blood that had tainted his hands. "But, then again...You'll hate me no matter what I do, won't you..?" Axl laughed bitterly, knowing the truth to these words.

He stared up into the night sky, almost searching through the ocean of stars for answers, for some sort of reassurance. He felt he was so close to death, he could reach out and touch it. Now, all he had was his own conscious, which told him to go down fighting; just like he had always dreamed he would. He had to leave his mark on history somehow; and if he were to die, he was going to do it with style.

"Red, I'm...I'm going to prove you wrong. I'm not weak...I'm not.." breathed Axl, glaring at his pursuer with determination. "I'll show you."

He suddenly jumped to his feet, and resumed his escape. As soon as he'd reached a safe enough distance, he turned sharply, gazing up at the Scorpion. It wasn't until now that he truly got a good look at it. The armory it was equipped with was a gleaming scarlet, dipped with markings of gold. It's optics were a pigmentation of lime green, and it was armed a single long range weapon, which was attached to it's delicate tail.

Unexpectedly, the young one materialized his dual handguns, and aimed quickly, firing a volley of projectiles at his attacker. The shots pierced cleanly through the metal alloy, spilling a mixture of fluids onto the crumbling ground below the two fighters. Axl then smirked maliciously, observing the opponent's once glistening armor. It was now mangled with countless bullet wounds, and smoke rose into the obsidian sky. He felt satisfaction wash over him, and narrowed his eyes at the damaged one to taunt him.

However, this arrogant attitude affected his predator more than the bullets did, as very few had tolerance for that kind of cockyness. The immense reploid furiously reared up, and crashed to the crumbling earth, sending a sort of shockwave in all directions. Unable to anticipate the oncoming attack, Axl fell to the ground, cursing his own carelessness. He'd been in such situations before, but never before had he been faced with anything by himself, much less an onslaught by an unpredictable enemy.

The Scorpion-like Reploid seized this chance to attack, and without warning, forced it's intricately curved claw into Axl's abdomen. The young Reploid attempted to stifle his scream, but staring down at his newly exposed cybernetic components did not help the matter. Warm blood began to spill from the wound, dripping over the tattered battlegrounds. The enemy unmercifully drew it's claw from Axl's body, and paused for a moment, examining the figure to see if he had indeed been terminated.

Axl made no sudden movements, and fought to keep his cries inside. It wasn't until this had happened, did he really understand the severity of his current situation. Unsure of the extent of his injury, he knew he had to at least try to complete his escape. Surely, this was just all a bad dream, one he would wake from soon enough; but the pain was enough to convince him that this was not true.

The young Reploid painfully rose from the ground, instinctively placing his hand on the wound. He felt a stinging sensation, and the precious crimson liquid again stained his hands. He closed his eyes for a moment, disliking the thought of running again. Yet, this was his only option; his pursuer would not remained stunned for long. Axl could then hear the jutting noise of metal colliding, and began to limp off as quickly as he could.

Axl then came to a complete stop, looking in disbelief at what laid ahead. The possible paths he could take had suddenly split into two directions. Either way, it did not matter; in his weakening condition, he could not make it to either end. He held his hand to his stomach, applying more pressure onto the openly bleeding wound. While sorting his grim options, he glanced down, an expression of horror crossing his face. He saw his life blood had made a sickening trail behind him, and it filled his heart with anguish, discouragement.

"I guess this is it," Axl snapped, hostility mixing with terror in his voice, "And if I die, I'm sure you know you'll be following me."

Axl's heart began to sink as he saw his display of courage beginning to falter. Again, he shuddered, seeing the bloodstained talon of the Scorpion raise again, preparing to finish it's prey. He lowered his head, and turned slightly to the side, before he heard the fateful sound, once again. The sound of something metallic, slamming against another metal surface.

The world seemed to have frozen completely, as a figure fell to the earth, jerking once before falling entirely limp. Axl was amazed to find himself still alive, but the sudden crash from the body caused him to stumble, and fall into the clutches of someone. His vision had long been incredibly blurry and distorted, but nevertheless, he gazed upwards.

Axl flinched, holding tightly onto the arms of the Reploid. His fear was instantly dispelled, and he looked up into the eyes of his savior.

- - -

A happier ending for this chapter! :3


	4. An Unlikely Savior

"Zero!" shouted Axl in exhilaration, suddenly grabbing the crimson Reploid in an embrace. "You're really here! I can't believe it..." His eyes seemed to dance with laughter only a child can display, and for the first time in a long time, he managed a smile. If he were to die, his last moment on Earth would have been a cheerful one. With this thought, he blinked, questions forming in his mind. Feeling a sense of trust with Zero, he blurted out his question without a second thought.

"Heh, does this mean I'm dead? I mean, what are the odds of me meeting you like this?" Axl watched him closely, impatiently awaiting a gesture, a change of expression, or a simple answer. When none came, he prodded Zero, like a puppy would to it's mother. "...Well? You could at least say _something._"

"No, kid, you aren't dead. Just consider yourself very lucky." Zero steadied the young Reploid, pulling out of his grasp. "What were you doing out here anyways? Surely you knew there was danger, why did you get in the middle of it?" His tone was kept at a soft level, so as not to give the impression that he was angry with Axl.

"..Um.." Axl struggled to remain standing, his body becoming weaker with the continuing loss of blood. However, he refused to show himself as weak or pathetic, especially in the eyes of someone he'd worshipped for so long. "I can explain everything, but...You gotta promise me something, Zero." He grasped his abdomen area, in attempt to conceal the wound itself, at least for the time being. Luckily, Zero took no notice of it just yet, being more concerned with the request he was just given.

"Well, I suppose that would depend on the promise." stated Zero, his eyes level with Axl's. "I'm not going to do anything insane, just so you know." Seeing that Axl's determined disposition had not changed after he spoke, he felt whatever it was, it had to be important.

"You have to promise that you won't get mad at me, Zero. I know I've done a lot of bad stuff, but you can't be mad at me. Please, don't hate me for what I've done..." Axl's visionaries drifted to the blood tainted groundwork beneath them, shame written clearly over his face. "Everyone says I'm a traitor, or a murderer, or I won't amount to anything. I...I can't take it..." He swallowed his tears, trying to remain strong even as he poured his heart out to Zero.

"If you hate me for asking, then I can't tell you. Then you'll just hate me even more, and..." He trailed off, fighting off his anguish.

"You listen to me. I know what it feels like to be judged," Zero said sympathetically. "I doubt you've done anything as bad as you think. Sometimes the will of fate is cruel, and people say and do things they don't mean. Kid, I've done things I'll regret for the rest of my life, but it does no good to keep it all inside." His voiced seemed to venture elsewhere, recalling the horrific past of his own.

After a short pause, Zero returned from his daze, and spoke again. "Someone once taught me, that everyone deserves a second chance. I was given one, and I believe it's only fair that the rest of the world does the same for you. And if it means so much to you, I promise I won't be mad at you."

Axl remained facing down, stunned by the reaction he was given. If Zero spoke truly, the two weren't that different. Although Zero could not see it, a smile had again taken it's rightful place on his expressions. The past replayed in his mind, and the cruelty of the words spoken by his once loving father echoed perfectly in his memory. He shuddered, but was beginning to muster up the courage to confess. Finally, his eyes met with Zero's once more, bringing him a warm sense of comfort. He drew in a breath, in preparation to tell his tale.

"I was a member of the bounty hunter group, the Red Alert Syndicate. You've probably heard of it, I think they were supposed to replace you." He watched to see if anger would arise in Zero, but his face remained emotionless.

"Anyway, I used to be one of the key members. My fathe..." Axl began to choke with these words, but shook them off. Red could not be his father. "No...Red; he used to take me on a lot of the missions, because he told me I was special. The reason for that, is 'cause I can copy the shape and abilities of Reploids, by using their DNA data. I understand if you don't belie-"

Zero twitched in surprise. "You can do _what!_" He blinked a few times in disbelief, and shook his head as if he had been hearing things. "Where..How did you learn to do something like that?" he asked, tilting his head slightly to one side.

"Hey, you said you'd listen to me." Axl crossed his arms, a look of frustration passing to his features. "You're supposed to let me finish my story." He flinched, noticing he had removed the pressure from his stomach area. Zero's eyes focused now on the dark crimson blood that spilled from the injury, and put his hand on Axl's shoulder. His heart began to sink with guilt, hating himself for not noticing the younger one was hurt sooner.

"I know, and I promise will listen to you. Let me just get you back to the Hunter Base. They can help you." his eyes never once left the gash, surprised to see that he had not yet passed out. "You want me to call them to come get you?"

"I got this far, didn't I? I can make it on my own." Axl slapped himself mentally. He couldn't make it, he was just trying to impress Zero, and he knew it. If there was anything he ever learned at Red Alert, it was to not show yourself as pathetic. It always came with consequences. Unbeknowst to him, however, this time was an exception.

"You're lies are not very convincing, you know." muttered Zero, watching as Axl grew more ashamed of himself. "Maybe I could teach you sometime," he smirked, knowing that lying was not something usually encouraged. "But for now, just let me help you."

"Okay, fine, but don't call anybody. It's bad enough you gotta see me like this." Axl was becoming lightheaded, and he had begun to sway on his feet. He struggled with himself, and he desperately tried to remain strong. These efforts were to no avail, as he collapsed onto the ground very suddenly.

"They're going to see you anyway.." Zero mumbled, "But, it's all right. You've done good so far... And if you die on me, I'll _never_ be able to teach you the art of lying." He grinned, gently kneeling down to pick the unconscious Reploid up off the ground. He noticed Axl's face had adopted a look of tranquility, almost as if his troubles had left him entirely.

"Don't worry," he whispered, "Soon, everything will be alright. I've made it through hard times, and you can, too. Trust me."

-

_Thanks to all of you that reviewed, it means a lot to me. :D_

_I also should apologize for any confusion the revisions have caused. You may or may not have noticed the Chapters moving around, because I changed the contents of Chapter 2, moving the rest of the chapters up one. Sorry, everyone. x.x;_


	5. Runaway's Awakening

-

Brilliantly shining lights restricted his line of vision. The cold metal of the table seemed to pierce through his body, and the silence of the stange place gave it an eerie background. Axl instinctively raised up one of his hands, to block out the painful brightness. Carefully, he sat up, expecting to feel a wave of pain wash over him; however, much to his surprise, the previously unbearable pain had subsided. Unaware of where he was, and curious to find out, he slid his legs over the side of the table, and heard the sound of his armored feet colliding with metal. His eyes ventured around his surroundings, trying to find something recognizable.

The room itself was unusually cold, and sent out an feeling of fear. Axl became stunned, as he saw a tray full of laboratory equipment. On it, lay a small knife stained with blood, a vial full of a pale yellow substance, a glass half full of water, and materials used for sewing. He stared at them for a moment, particularly at the needle and thread. Why would these things be here?

Finally, it hit him. He took a quick glance down at his abdomen, seeing the wound had been accurately sewn up. The thought of this made him sickened, and he immediately felt sympathy for whoever had to do this. He winced then, recalling what had been going on. Zero must have brought him back to their base for healing purposes. Axl felt dispiritedness come over him, as he hadn't wanted anyone to see him as weak as he was. He was almost sure there would soon be problems for him, but before he could assume anything, he knew he had to find Zero.

"He shouldn't be too far," Axl whispered to himself, "But with my amazing sense of direction, I'll never find him. Might as well start here." He sighed, making for the door. Just as he was about to exit, he heard a voice from behind that made him jump.

"Even with your amazing sense of direction, I think you should know, that is the way into the navigation room." said the silhouette. He motioned to a door, the one from which he came. "This is the way to the central hall." The shadowy form then stepped into the lights, revealing a grinning Zero.

Axl looked up, reading the sign placed above the door. It read 'Navigation Room - Authorized Personnel Only.' He blinked, and glanced back at Zero. "I know, I was just kidding...I wasn't going in." Zero rolled his eyes, and managed a laugh. Axl blinked, now agreeing with Zero about his ability to lie. "Okay, fine, I didn't read the stupid sign. Happy?"

"Yes, that's what I thought you said." Zero smirked, leaning on the table where Axl was. "So, anyway, you feeling any better? I made sure to have as few medics as possible, so nobody would see." Axl tilted his head slightly, the same way Zero had earlier. He then moved away from the door, and shielded his eyes again from the increasingly annoying shining lights.

"Yeah, I'm okay now." Axl said, while questions began to appear in his mind. Being the meddlesome young teenager he was, he didn't hold back. "Oh, how long was I asleep? Are you gonna let me finish my story? Is this really the Hunter Base? Can I-" Zero felt like putting a large piece duct tape on Axl's mouth, but instead, he just decided to cut him off.

"Okay, one question at a time," breathed Zero, pausing for a moment. He motioned for Axl to also take in a deep breath, and went on speaking. "Alright, in order: You were asleep for about three days. You should be fine now, as we used our most experienced medic units. Yes, you can finish your story, as soon as I'm done answering your questions." Zero looked over at Axl, and expected to see him jump up and down. However, Axl just nodded silently. "And yes, this is _really_ the Hunter Base. It's old, and probably falling apart, and not all that special. Anything else?"

Axl nodded, "Yes, but I'll ask that later. Only because I know you'd ask me about my background and history once I did decide to ask you." Zero blinked, and pretended to understand what he just said. "Alright then...Where did I leave off?" His eyes moved up to the roof, and he became lost in thought for a moment. Everything that had happened seemed so much like a bad dream, now. Axl questioned the reality of the situation, wondering maybe if he was still just dreaming. From the hatred of his father, to the injury that had befallen him, to meeting his idol; how could this have all happened like this? Only Zero's voice caused him to recover from his daze.

"For someone who hates his past so much, you do seem like you want to talk about it." Zero looked at Axl quizically, seeing him lower his head slightly in recollection. He felt a little guilty for saying so, but he was also curious. "I didn't mean it to offend you in any way, so don't take it hard." He sent him a small smile, as if to bring a little joy to him.

"No, I know. The only reason I'm so eager to tell you, is because of something Red told me once." Axl kept the sorrow out of his voice as best he could, taking a sharp breath. "He told me how it's best to tell people when you're sad, it might make you feel better." Zero nodded in agreement, remaining silent so he could continue.

"Red is the leader of the Red Alert Syndicate, which I think I already told you about. All the time, we'd go on missions together, and he taught me about survival and life. Even so, he always had a bitterness toward me, but I thought maybe it was just something that had happened to him, and I left it alone. Sometimes, I still wonder what it is..." Axl's eyes became more and more distant with every word, but he managed to keep going.

"He taught me that only the strong survive, and the one rule of survival is, 'Kill or be killed.' As time passed, we went on more missions daily, most of which were illegal. I didn't think much of it then, because I knew Red was a strong leader, and nothing could possibly go wrong," His voice became full of pain, and he put a lot of emphasis on the word '_was'. _

Zero's mind began trying to decipher the meaning of the story, or at least where it was going. It didn't take him very long to understand that the ending of it would not be a cheerful one. He knew people who thought that way, usually ended up becoming corrupt with desires and power. He smiled, although it was full of sadness. He nodded, waiting for the young one to resume.

"Until the final mission I went on with him. We infiltrated a nearby group of hunters, and killed most of their members and their leader." Axl sighed deeply, wishing things could have gone differently. Although he loved being able to meet Zero, what he really wanted, was for things to be normal again. "...I used my copy ability to get this done fast, like I usually do...And then, Red just asked me for the DNA data I had..." Zero contemplated this, curious as to how DNA data could possibly have a benefit, other than to Axl. There was a stretched period of silence, as tears finally had taken shape in Axl's eyes. They glistened an oceanic blue in the shimmering lights, and finally strolled down his cheeks.

"It's okay. If it's too much, you don't need to finish it. I'm sure I'll hear about it somehow, later on." lied Zero. Axl shook his head, his eyes possessing an innocence only a child could. Zero then closed his eyes, a gesture for Axl to resume telling him.

"If I-I don't tell somebody, I'll always feel like this...Won't I?" choked Axl, looking to Zero for some kind of reassurance. He shook himself mentally, sorting through his memories. No, he had to tell everything. As much as it would may hurt, it would only be more damaging later on.

"I didn't give it to him...I just thought...I wanted to

protect them..Zero, I betrayed Red...He hates me now...He hit me, kicked me, and told me...He'd have my data, even if he had to kill me for it...I'm a traitor, Zero! I didn't mean to...Commit any crimes...I..I'm sorry..." Axl then fell apart, falling to the ground. He abandoned his pride, letting the tears flow freely, now. A look of shock came over Zero, who looked to the sobbing child in disbelief.

"No, you did nothing wrong," whispered Zero, who knelt down beside him. "You're not a traitor. Forget about any crimes, anything else that's bothering you." He placed a hand on Axl's shoulder, to comfort him. Before he could say anything more, the door creaked open, and another form stepped through the door. The lights exposed yet another Reploid, armored in shades of cerulean.

"So, you're the one called Axl," the Reploid blinked, watching as Zero turned from the crying child. "The runaway from Red Alert. You and me...We have some..'Matters' to discuss."

Axl's gaze shifted up at the blue Reploid, immediately recognizing him as X. He felt his heart sink, and knew his life was just about to get worse.

-

_Before I write the next chapter, keep in mind X is only trying to do what's best, he's not trying to be mean. And that he will eventually warm up to him. :3_

_Thanks again for the reviews, everyone!_

_**Menolly5600: **Thank you so much for all the grammar tips and such. :D I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the huge review. I fixed Chapter 1 accordingly, and I've also added another chapter before the events of Chapter 2. You're right, it does make more sense to show them returning home, before unfolding the conflicts. Oh, and I'll try to keep X from being a hyper-pacifist. Could be a nice challenge. Thanks again:3_

_**Rue-07: **I plan on keeping this going for a while, no worries. :D Thanks for all the compliments, makes me feel happy with my stuff. Which is weird, coming from me, I always hate what I do.. I'll try to keep X from being mean, too. Maybe just overprotective?_


	6. Arising Conflicts

-

"Thanks for checking up on him, Zero. I'd rather talk to him alone for a while," X said calmly, motioning towards the opened door. "If you don't mind, that is." Zero looked up at X, and hesitated for a moment. He sighed heavily, looking over for a moment at X. The crimson hunter nodded slowly, and stood up, his eyes moving to the door. Silently, as if X and Zero shared a sort of telepathy, he seemed to engage in detailed discussion with his best friend; one Axl could not comprehend. This continued for a few minutes, before Zero withdrew from the room, and left the two alone to talk.

"So, as I was saying, you are the one called Axl, am I correct?" X's tone remained passive and tranquil, as he was trying to be friendly with the child.

Axl remained completely still, and never once looked back up at X, nor made any effort to answer the question. Right now, he was too afraid. The fear flooded into him, and invaded his thoughts and emotions. What if all the rumors had been true? What if X had become cold with the burden of upholding peace? It was still too early for Axl to tell, but his common sense eventually got the better of him. If X was as harsh as everyone had said, then it was probably best to stay on his 'good' side.

"Yes, sir," replied Axl, in a monotone voice. "I'm Axl." He brushed away the tears, as he wanted to make a good impression on X. He rose to his feet, and two pairs of emerald eyes met, in a moment of silence. The younger of the two became a little unnerved, yet he was too afraid to incline further in conversation. X noticed the uneasyness, and blinked, watching Axl carefully. As much as he could try to disguise it, it was obvious that the boy was tense.

"Well then, Axl," X uttered softly, "First of all, I think you should know, you don't have to be so formal. Just address me as you would anyone else. Secondly, I'm curious as to why you left Red Alert so suddenly. Would you care to explain?"

Axl shuddered, not really wishing to go through it again. Although talking about it was supposed to help, not even words from Zero had comforted him. And even though X haden't had the reaction Axl had anticipated, and was kinder than expected, he couldn't help feeling that some conflict was bound to come between them. Maybe it had just been the aggression he had endured not long ago that was making him think this way, but that did not relieve the fear.

"..Alright, I won't be formal anymore," Axl muttered, absent-mindedly running his hand down his cheek, where Red had hit him. "But I'd really rather not talk about the past again, so if you really want to know, you can ask Zero. I've already told him."

"So why would you have so much trouble telling me, if you've already told Zero?" X asked, a little confused.

"Because, when I told Zero, I thought talking would help things," Axl answered shortly. "But, I was wrong. It didn't make me feel any better. It still hurts inside, and I don't think talking about it again would make any difference."

X blinked, and leaned back against the nearby wall. He could already tell this was probably going to take a while, so he might as well try to make the best of a bad situation.

"I'm not going to pretend like I know exactly what you're going through, nor am I going to try to understand it. But there are a lot of people out there that can help you," X's green eyes flashed for a moment, as he realized something. Axl was very much like a younger version of himself, as he could remember having a discussion similar to this. "You and I have a lot in common, you know. I said the same thing a while ago, but talking helped me. Of course, it took me a while, and it'll probably be the same for you."

Axl shook his head, a look of frustration and anger passing onto his face. Had they not already established talking did nothing? His eyes flickered with a mixture of many emotions, making it difficult to tell how the child really felt.

"Sure, maybe talking would help you. But you said yourself, you didn't understand what I'm going through. So, don't assume anything about me, because you're wrong...Everything..." He trailed off, the words coming out more coldly than he meant for them to.

In reality, the voice was not Axl's, but his grief and torment. Inside, he was thankful for X's being there, as well as Zero's. He had only opened up to Zero when he thought he was on the verge of death, and desperate for some kind of alleviation. At the time, he needed someone to know his story, in case he did happen to die from the wound he'd recieved. Now, it made little difference if anyone knew. Zero didn't really understand it, even if he said he did, and neither could X. Besides this, Axl was still afraid of X - and he couldn't possibly ask X to promise not to hate him for what he had done.

"Maybe I could understand, if you'd only tell me," X said simply, "But you won't. You're only making this harder for yourself by doing this."

"Alright, you want to know why I left, I'll tell you. I did it because I felt like it, X. I think Red Alert is pointless." lied Axl, narrowing his eyes. "In fact, my life, which is the topic of this talk, is pointless. Sometimes, I even wonder why I was cursed with it. So, why don't we just talk about something else? There's no point in speaking about what's worthless." He wanted to slap himself, and erase the words from history. But it was too late, for what is said and done cannot be fixed.

X's face was overcome with anger at the remark made by the boy. "Excuse me for trying to be friendly to you," he muttered in annoyance, "And trying to be helpful. You can just shut everyone out, and deal with everything on your own if that's what you want. But there's no reason to talk like that. You know as well as I do, killing yourself won't solve anything." X knew what the younger had been implying. He'd seen it too many times not to.

"I guess we aren't so alike then," Axl retorted with hostility, clenching his fists in blind fury. "We obviously try to solve our problems in different ways." He spat the words out, and gave X a look of disgust. As he did, though, he felt a tinge of devastation wash over him. His mind and body felt numb, and he had begun to question the reality of his words. The teenage Reploid closed his eyes tightly; he was trying to force the evil temptation of suicide out of his head.

"I can't believe you could even consider taking your own life," X muttered, his tone brimmed with anger, but his eyes clearly displayed sympathy. "It's just a permanant solution for a temporary problem. Which, as I've said many times already, can be solved differently. But you..You won't even listen to me!"

No response came from the kid.

"You're right, you're never going to heal," X went on. "You'll always hurt, as long as you remain this reserved!"

A sort of distant, pained expression came to Axl's features. For the first time in a while, he spoke softly. "I wouldn't consider anything like that if I didn't..Didn't hate everything in my life this much," he said slowly. "But, it's just that my father, he..." He paused, shaking his head. He couldn't go through with this again. "X...I'm sorry for all the things I said. I didn't mean to make you mad."

X nodded in dismal acknowledgement, but said nothing. He was still a little frustrated, but no longer angry. His eyes focused on the fading bruise on Axl's pale face. He'd never paid much attention to it before, but was a little concerned with it's presence.

"And, there's something I really want to ask you." Axl said, turning his head away from X.

X watched carefully, replacing his distressed expression with a more peaceful one. "Alright, go ahead and ask me, then."

Axl drew in a deep breath, and closed his eyes. "When I was with Red Alert, one of my closest friends was infected with a virus. Before completely fell under it, he asked to help him. I didn't understand him then, but once I found out about the ailment, I started to figure it out." He paused, shaking slightly. He'd already fallen in front of Zero, he wasn't about to do it again.

As no response came, X spoke up. "And what does this have to do with your question?"

"You'll see." Axl replied. "Anyways, I found out that there's only one way to remove the virus. Death is the only way to lift it, and I seriously mean that. I'm not being dramatic or anything." He took a quick glance over at X, making sure he wasn't going to say anything that would start an arguement.

Much to his surprise, X hadn't said a word, so he resumed. "When I found out, I promised that I'd be the one to do it, because I wanted him to know someone cared about him before he died. All I'm asking you, is if you'll take me on missions with you. I have to be there for them, no matter what they think of me now. You understand, don't you?"

"I understand, but I don't personally think seeing them again could help you. Isn't it because of them you left?" replied X gently.

"No, no! They didn't do anything bad!" Axl shouted. He soon realized the error in that sentence, and corrected it. "..At least, most of the time..." He rested his head in his hands, searching for words. "...No, it's not their fault, X..."

"Listen to me. You're very unstable now, and if they are truly your friends, I know you wouldn't want to see them hurt. Am I right?" X asked, concerned for the youth.

"I don't want to see them get hurt, but...Isn't it going to happen, X? Aren't you going to fight them, because of the crimes they've committed?" He refrained from saying 'we,' even though he, too, had participated in the acts of injustice. But, he didn't want to mention that to the azure-colored Reploid. Trouble could be the only outcome of it.

"As much as I do hate to admit it," X answered, trying to force the thoughts of his previous ideals from his mind. They had not brought peace, and therefore, were of no importance to him anymore. "Yes. We have been challenged to a duel, and have accepted. I was planning on leaving with Zero after this talk, but it's turning out to be a bit more than that."

"If you're going to fight them, take me with you! I want to be there for them," Axl lowered his gaze to the ground. "And I can handle this, X. You'll see."

X hesitated, looking up at the chrome ceiling for some kind of guidance. He found no assistance, and closed his eyes, trying to find a solution. Axl had talked tough before, he knew. Zero had told him everything about the rescue, and how the boy had resisted for a while, because of his pride. Knowing the outcome of that could have been fatal, had he not been lucky, is what had pressed X to come to a conclusion.

Axl saw X's moment of meditation, and knew that no good would come off it. "X, no," he breathed, as if sensing the judgement before it was passed. "Please..."

-

_I kind of like writing X this way. I'm not sure if I pulled it off that well, though. Especially since I had to find another source, as opposed to X's extreme peaceful ways, for his and Axl's conflicts; which turned out to be this._

_And again, I apologize for the moving around of chapters. If you're confused as to why I did it, go back and read Chapters 1 and 2, and it should all make sense. :D _


	7. To Be Lost and Alone

- - -

"Axl, I know what your saying is true," X whispered, trying to calm the distraught child. "That's why I have to do this. You've been faced with a lot already, from what I can tell, and you don't need anything more bothering you. It's better for everyone, mostly you, that you stay behind." X supported his statement by nodding. He then looked over to Axl, who gritted his teeth in anger.

"You're wrong," snapped Axl sharply. "You _think_ you're helping me, but you aren't! You're just making everything worse!" His voice was tinged with aggression and dismay. "But, you don't really care about that, do you?"

X's head suddenly shot up, and he administered an icy stare to the younger Reploid. "It's _because_ I care, that I'm putting up with this! First, you refuse to talk to me, though you had no trouble speaking with Zero, then you become bitter and angry with me. And _then_ you expect me to understand your past, even though I've heard nothing of it, because you're too reserved with your feelings. Now, you want me to endanger your life so you can go do what Zero and I are trained to do? I'm sorry, but you don't need to be exposed to that, and I'm not going to take you with me. Leave Red Alert to us."

The younger Reploid couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had he not been so traumatized, or blinded with his fury, he may have understood that X's intentions were for good purpose. "I've already been exposed to it," Axl hissed in disparagement. "So, you being so worried is stupid. If this is how you 'care' for people, then I feel sorry for all of your friends." He slammed his fist against the medical table, which reinforced the aggrivation he was feeling. Both Reploids cringed at the thundering noise created on contact.

The teenager had obviously struck a nerve somewhere. X, who was usually calm and collected, exploded with anger. His face darkened, and all sympathy had disappeared. After all, if Axl wasn't going to accept help, there was no point in trying to talk with him. If only X could have seen the pain and complexity that laid behind the child's eyes, and the screams inside his soul, that frantically fought to be heard. It was too late, though. X had discarded his rationality, and grabbed Axl by his arm. If the youth was going to act this way, he would be treated as such.

"Nevermind, then," X said angrily, "Forget everything I said about worrying. If this is how you want it, fine. But, I'm not going to rethink my decision, if that's what you were aiming for. I'm just not going to bother with you anymore." The elder Reploid pulled Axl out the door, pausing for a moment once they entered the central hallway. He realized, he couldn't just put Axl in the center of the base, nor did the kid have his own private quarters. X sighed heavily, trying to sort through his options. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he knew there was only one way, and it had to be done; no matter what risk, or how unfavorable it was to him.

Axl was stunned by all of this, his eyes roaming about the topography of the base. It was bigger than he had ever imagined it would be, but it also had a disappointing lack of taste. The walls were painted in a montone gray-color, and no pictures or any other intricate objects decorated the place. The atmosphere was hollow and chilling, which caused Axl to flinch in X's grasp. The eerie silence added to the pessimistic visualization of the area, and even the members of the organization seemed to be portrayed in flat shades of gray. Of course, this was not really true, but more what his own negativity was presenting. Never in his wildest fantasies, was this how it was supposed to be. Again, reality had proven itself to be a cruel mistress. Why did everything have to go so wrong? Was it a divine punishment for the crimes he'd become so accustomed to?

Caught in his usual reveries, the youth jumped when the doorway slid open. He felt himself being forced onto a piece of furniture, but he didn't really care enough to look. Only X's expression of regret and dissatisfaction reached his vision.

"Now," X sighed deeply, fighting to keep his voice as genial as possible. He did very well, all things considered. "You're going to stay right here, in my room." He twitched at the last bit of that sentence. A defecting teenage Reploid, with an unpredictable, fiery temper, alone and capable of bringing chaos upon his living quarters. Not exactly what anyone could call a comforting thought. He studied the eyes of the younger Reploid, who made no attempt to argue with his punishment. At least, not at the moment.

"And you're going to get some rest. You aren't allowed out of this room under any circumstance, unless Zero or I come and get you. And just so you aren't tempted, I've placed two A-Class Hunters around the exit." X lied, trying to draw the urge to escape away from the younger. "If you do manage to disobey my orders..." He faded off for a moment, contemplating the matter. "Let's just say, you won't like the outcome. Understand?"

Axl merely scoffed, crossing his arms in a ill-tempered fashion. "No, actually I don't," he stated, baring his teeth at X in a canine-like manor. It was unusual to see a human model Reploid do such a thing, but it was something Hyenard had always done when he'd been irritated. "I don't understand at all. You say you're doing this for my own good, but if you were really so thoughtful, then you'd..."

He stifled a gasp, as the blood froze in his cybernetic circulatory system. He sounded exactly like Red had a few days earlier. His eyes brimmed with silver tears, and he lowered his eyes to the floor. He waved his hand, motioning for X to leave him in peace. On other occasions, X would not have complied to this request; however, he was angry with the child, and felt all-too-happy to finally be able to put the distress behind him. He turned, and took his leave of the chamber, slamming the heavy door behind him.

"..X, come back..." Axl whispered sadly, shuddering in defeat. "Don't leave me here...I don't want..Y-you to hate me, too..." Axl buried his head in his hands, and felt a warm moisture soak into them.

- - -

X stormed from his room, an unfriendly breeze seeming to hang over him. Hunters that had been with the organization long enough, knew very well to stay away from X when he was like this. Those who didn't, picked up on the concept very quickly. Despite his will for peace on Earth, he was anything but kind or tranquil when he was in this state. He absentmindedly passed Zero, who had been casually leaning against one of the base's rusted walls.

"Hey, X!" shouted Zero. X halted, turning sharply towards Zero. He desperately hoped whatever Zero had to say was important, for anything else would only anger him further. "Alia just got the coordinates for our first Maverick victim," The blonde hunter smirked arrogantly, putting extra emphasis on the words 'Maverick' and 'victim.' "We were originally going to try and attack Red Alert's base before they could make any moves, but since you took so long in there, we missed our chance for a direct attack."

X looked up to Zero, confusion flickering on his facial features. "I'm not all that surprised, as Mavericks usually tend to act fast. So, where exactly are we going?"

Zero waved off X's words, chuckling softly. "X, I wasn't finished. Not only did she mention the coordinates, she also asked me to wish you a good morning." X blinked a couple of times in rapid succession, but remained silent. After his instant of surprise, he nodded slowly, and fought back the urge to blush. He looked up to Zero, who was laughing still. Everyone knew about the affection the azure hunter and gentle navigator shared, except for the two themselves. Their feelings for each other had remained silenced throughout the years they had known each other, and many made it a priority to get them together. So far, however, none had been entirely successful.

"X?" Zero snapped his fingers in front of his friend's eyes, trying to bring him back to Earth. "Before we leave, how'd your conversation with Axl go?"

The reaction he got was unexpected, and it caused many other hunters to stare in shock. X bit his lower lip, fighting back the urge to make an indentation in the nearest wall, or Reploid. "Oh, it went just perfect. I listened to every angry word that came from his mouth, and tried to make conversation. I don't know why, but he won't talk to me about anything. Why, Zero? Am I not good enough?"

"Forget I asked," muttered Zero quietly, before narrowing his eyes at the onlooking hunters. "I wasn't trying to start any trouble, especially before a mission. Look, I can try to reason with him when we get back. And, before we leave, are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"I have my reasons for fighting," replied X, his conduct returning to normal. He hesitated for a moment, forcing himself to ignore his peaceful nature. "Even if it is against my will. Just promise me, we can do this fast. The last thing we need, is them executing a surprise attack."

"You would say that. You never seem to enjoy surprises," said Zero, elbowing X lightly. X rolled his eyes, yet a small chuckle escaped from his vocals. "Anyway, Alia and Signas said we're headed to some Lava Factory."

"Alright, so who are we eliminating first?" questioned X, watching as Zero mused for a moment.

"Hm, I think he went by the name of 'Flame Hyenard,' if I remember right."

- - -

_I had to type this chapter up twice, because it was lost by a power-outage the first time.  
Sorry for the lateness. x.x;_


	8. Just Another Complexity

-

His entire body continued to shiver with every passing moment, and every painful thought that surfaced in his mind. The conflicts and battles taking place within him, were slowly eating away it his heart. Axl was still determined to gain his father's affection, yet that goal seemed to fall further and further away from his reach. It was so simple, and at the same time, so complex. What child did not have, or at least wish for, the unconditional love and guidance of a parent? Now he was also pressured with also gaining X's approval, which was just as difficult. Especially since his own conflicting emotions possessed more control over his words than he, himself, had.

The young Reploid moved from the chair he had been assigned, his facial features ablaze with bitterness and anger; bitterness that was the product of a life of confusion, lies, and anguish. He slowly narrowed his eyes at a nearby table, catching a glimpse of a photograph. Slowly, he walked over to it, fighting the temptation to smash it into about a million little pieces.

It was a picture of X and Zero, in what looked like the outdoor setting of the base. Both had innocent smiles on their faces, and both were blissfully oblivious that the other was making a variety of stupid gestures behind their backs. X, for example, was giving Zero a pair of whimsical 'bunny ears,' while Zero was holding up a poorly-written sign above X's head, that read 'My face is a weapon of mass destruction. Fear it.' It also had what looked like an arrow, pointing down at the grinning X. Each of them looked equally stupid.

In spite of it's idiocy, it touched the boy in a way he could not explain. Axl held it in his hands for a moment, shuddering as light teardrops flecked the protective glass. Closing his eyes tightly, he brought the golden frame to his chest, clutching it as if it meant life or death. It was strange; these simple pleasures existed only in his childish dreams and fantasies. Never once, had he seen anything like this happen in reality; much less had he seen it captivated in such a plain likeliness.

Reluctantly, he stopped clinging to it, positioned it in it's rightful place, and wiped off the droplets of water that had smeared it's flawless surface. It was hard to believe X and Zero had ever been able to enjoy such activites, as he couldn't visualize X smiling at this point. This chain of thoughts had landed him in more guilt, to add to his ever-growing collection.

"..They were really this happy once," whispered Axl, who had cascaded to the ground. "Before I came, and ruined everything...It's all _my_ fault!" He gasped as he heard his own voice being thrown back at him, by the colorless paneling that surrounded him. His eyes ventured to the flooring, while he battled to force his mind to erase such notions. Surely, once the fighting was over, they could get back to being so content and carefree. Everyone has someone; they could all return to their normal lives.

Yet, Axl had nothing left, but the rising loneliness that filled his heart.

He would be the one to lose everything. The people he had once called his family, would be murdered because of the duties of the Maverick Hunters. Axl understood this, and did not deny it was for the greater good. Not that this could make _him_ feel any better. And if he were to return to Red Alert? Red and the others would spit at the sound of his name, and his heroes would despise him, as well. He was condemned to a world where only the strong survive - and he was the weakest of all.

With this, Axl slumped to the frigid metallic flooring, and remained completely still. He vaguely resembled a dog, laying in defeat in front of their master. Tiny droplets of water gathered in a moist puddle under his face, while the youth stuggled to keep them locked inside. _'Nobody can see me like this,'_ he thought to himself. A disheartening silence had begun to drift over the room, and only the harse voices of his memories echoed in his mind.

- _Flashback _-

_Axl stared sadly at the ground, shaking his head slowly. The security systems began to activate, and the base seemed to come alive. The sound of alarms pierced the unnerving muteness between father and son, while a monotone, computerized voice shouted 'Warning! Warning!' repetitively. Red motioned toward the nearest exit, and had begun to make for it. Axl remained oblivious to the happenings around him, his eyes fixed with intensity._

_A few moments had passed, and the boy had not come out. Red rolled his eyes scornfully, rushing back inside. Security cameras protruded from the walls, searching for the He grabbed Axl by his arm, and pulled him out the way he had come. _

_"What's wrong with you? I told you we had to get out of there" Red muttered angrily. "Don't you pay attention? If one of those cameras caught a glimpse of you..." He trailed off, clenching his fists in frustration. Finally, he shook his head, unable to form words. He looked off into the distance, the direction of Red Alert's base, and had begun running for home._

_"Father" Axl whispered softly, after Red was out of hearing range. _

_"Why don't you love me?"_

-

The tormenting serenity was finally pierced by the sudden pandemonium of voices.Outside X's chamber, irritating crashing noises and shouts were painfully audible. The youth assumed it was the sound of other rookie Maverick Hunters, partying and having the time of their lives. It had always been rumored, that new trainees, and just about everyone from Zero's unit, always loved an needless amounts of alcohol, and excessive celebrations. Axl had always wondered why all the insane Reploids had gone over to Zero's unit, it couldn't possibly be beneficial to anyone's health.

Being helpless to put a stop to the commotion, Axl snatched one of X's pillows, and tried to block the sound out by burying his head into it. This proved to be a failure, for the insanity outside was still reaching his auditives. He tossed the overstuffed pillow across the room, unaware of the large opening in the side of it. He stifled a scream, while small, soft bird feathers floated about the room, creating a phenomenon like that of a rainstorm. For his second attempt, he used his personal favorite solution for every problem;

Which, of course, was violence.

As if a confined animal had been unleashed from it's prison, he began furiously pounding against the walls with his fists, decorating them with nice little indentations. Just a little payback for his 'unjust' punishment. Axl had then proceeded with his methods, kicking viciously against the doorway as if he had gone completely berserk. The sound of the two metallic surfaces colliding emitted satisfying array of clattering sounds, in which Axl felt a wisp of bittersweet happiness. X was going to strangle him for destroying these walls, he knew. Then again, X could probably find something to blame on the teen Reploid anyway, even if he had been a perfect little angel.

Axl finally ceased his assault on X's living quarters, and gave the door a venomous glare. Much to his surprise, the fanfare outside had also abruptly stopped, which was unusual. Zero's unit, as well as the newere hunters, were widely known for being incredibly stubborn. However, they seemed to comply to Axl's agitated request, with no rebellion at all. Not even one of them came in to tell the boy to quiet down. The setting outside was abnormally quiet, and there was a disturbing lack of speaking. Had he really tamed Zero's unit so easily?

Suddenly, X's entire bedroom had begun to convulse, which brought Axl to the ground. He winced, glancing back at the walls.

"..I always knew I was good," muttered Axl, half with pride, and half with dismay. "But I had no idea I was _that_ good." As if the panels had been deeply offended because of his words, a large piece of rubble immediately plummeted from the quivering doorway. It had landed with unbelievable accuracy onto his left hand, causing him to bite down on his bottom lip. The young Reploid held urge to scream inside, as well as the temptation to throw the rock right back at the door.

Instinctively, he crawled toward the chair as best he could, in an attempt to take cover from the earthquake. It lucky that he had done so, for in the next instant, the entire door shattered before him. Although he felt somewhat happy with the revenge, the frightened child still turned away.

Thickened, heavy, and somewhat cold mist flowed from the opening, which caused him to cover his face as a safety method. He could faintly hear the hollow footsteps of another Reploid, one that brought an uncompassionate atmosphere with him. He couldn't indentify to whom they belonged to, but he got the impression he was bound to find out very soon.

After what felt like an eternity, the strides made by the other Reploid had come to an end. Axl could feel the freezing metal of familiar armor, and could almost sense the venomous gaze of the other upon him. He reacted like any terrified child would, shutting his eyes and placing his hands over his head.

This meager form of protection was not enough to suffice for long, so his next option was to strategize, in hopes of escaping; however, these assessments never arrived. He felt a powerful hold tighten around a tuft of his hair, pulling back with immense strength. The young one's head was forced into an upright position, despite how he continued to rebel against his captor. However, his struggling movements immediately came to a standstill, as his eyes met with those of a darkened figure.

-

_Next chapter will have some violence in it, so you can all point and laugh at my attempt to write action scenes._

_Anyways, thanks for reviews, everyone!_

_And special thanks to **Rue-07**: Not only for keeping up and reviewing almost every one of these chapters, but for giving me enough confidence to continue this story. :3 I never would have come even this far without you, and I can't name many people who've made me happy with my stuff. But you're definitely one of those few. Thanks! (:_


	9. The Return of Darkness

"It..It's you..." breathed the young boy, who had become frozen with fear. Time seemed to have captivated both captor and victim in a perfect frame, much like the youth had witnessed earlier. However, he could sense that there was no compassion or kindness. No matter how Axl's features pleaded for affection; none came from the cruel eyes of the one he had called father.

"Yes, it's me," Red uttered under his breath, "Don't look so surprised. If you didn't see this coming, then you are more brainless than I thought." His tone was entwined with pure malevolence, and his colorless optics appeared to be almost venomous.

"Okay, yeah, you think I'm stupid. But you know what they say," murmured Axl, "Like father, like son." He expected pandemonium to befall him for this remark, knowing Red was short-tempered and unmerciful; and, in a sense, he meant every word of what he said. Although he desired the approval and love from Red, he soon came to realize that cowering in fear, or taking the abuse, was not going to get him this privilege.

Red's hold on Axl's spiked hair tightened, and had begun to cascade downward. The elder Reploid mercilessly shifted his grip to the younger's exposed throat, causing the terrorized child to choke. Coughing and kicking viciously, he visibly tensed as the sound of Red's savage laughter reached him. Axl could feel his spirit sinking beyond the equivalent of sea level. As sickening as it was, and as much as he wanted to pretend it wasn't true; it was. His previous mentor was taking pleasure in his own son's misfortune.

"I can't say I agree with you there," chuckled Red. "'Cause if our positions were switched, I'd be putting up a much better fight than this." To emphasize his point, he displayed a long, elaborate yawn. Axl narrowed his eyes in a vulgar fashion, as if to respond to the heartless comment.

"You think...so..do you?" retorted Axl, in between his desperate gasps for air. Instinctively, he delivered a sharp kick to Red's abdomen, which permitted the youth his freedom. He knelt to the ground, clutching his dark chestplate armor in an attempt to ease the rapid, unsteady breathing. Upon entering a coughing fit, he moved his hands to his throbbing neck, surprised at the feel of a warm, wet substance. Before he could present much of a reaction, Red's words pierced the silence like a warrior's blade.

"I've wasted so much of my time trying to teach you. Yet, you _still_ haven't learned to mind your place!" His fist curled up, in preparation for an assault on the stunned young Reploid. However, Axl refused to let the same tormenting fate befall him, as it had done once before. He ducked beneath the oncoming blow, and took off running through the opening that had once been X's front door. As he did, he recalled what X had told him earlier. He was not to leave the room under any circumstance, and there were two B-Class Hunters outside the door. Why then, had they not stopped Red's onslaught? Had X ordered them not to protect Axl, only to confine him?

Axl turned to look back, noticing not only that Red was in close pursuit, but there were no signs of the Hunters X had mentioned. There was always the chance X had been lying, maybe to eliminate the urge to escape. Or maybe they had fled when they sensed danger. Despite all the possible explanations he could give for the situation, only his predator could know for sure.

Panting and gasping for precious oxygen, he sharply turned to a familiar hallway. Ahead, he could see the room in which he had been treated for his injury; but this was not what caused him to cry out in shock. From what he could see, there were four hunters lying on the floor, and none of them were taking in any air. Cautiously, he advanced toward the unmoving hunters, checking behind him occasionally for danger. When he finally did reach his destination, it took all of the remaining strength he had to keep him from screaming.

It didn't take an expert in the medical field to figure out what had happened. Each of the Hunter's necks were twisted at an angle that was not humanly possible. Not possible to be this way, and still survive, anyway. Their cold, pale faces were forever engraved withterror, and their gentle, innocent eyes had stared right through Axl. Staring into nothing. The walls of the chamber were marked with indentations, which were obvious signs of a final struggle; and everything was beginning to fall into place. There had never been any celebration catered by Zero's unit, only a fight for life. The loud noises and shouts were merely the last dying words, of those who bravely served the greater good. As if Axl had been announcing his findings, a malicious voice came from behind him.

"All will be explained in due time, kid," answered Red, holding his laughter inside. "So, you just sit tight, my boy."

Axl flinched, anger blazing from within the depths of his soul. His eyes reflected this, as his dual guns materialized in his hands. "I think an explanation would be nice, don't you?"

Red prowled in a circle around Axl, who still held his guns defensively. "Yes, of course, Axl. First of all, you must understand my purpose for coming all the way out here. As you know, I-"

"You want the DNA data to become stronger. I've heard it already," cut in Axl, lowering his guns to his sides. He then flashed Red an agitated glare, "And I still won't do it."

Red feigned the laughter that followed Axl's statement. "And you're still too stubborn for you own good, you know." He carefully backed up, examining his surroundings, and searching for a defense against Axl. He did have his default weapon, the energy scythe he carried with him; but rushing in to attack with a close range weapon while your opponent has a pair of pistols? The leader of the Syndicate had more wit than that.

Axl remained silent, watching as Red retreated further away. The older Reploid almost jumped as he backed into something frigid; he turned, glancing at the silver table he'd come in contact with. However, it wasn't the table itself that had caught his interest - it was more what _kind_ of table it was. It was long, and stained with blood; obvious signs of a surgical table. And if you could find a surgical table, surgical tools were not far off.

"Axl, let me ask you something," started Red, sliding slowly to the side of the table. "Why do you fight me? You claim to want my love so badly, yet you continue to oppose me. Why is this?"

Axl's gaze shifted to the grayscale flooring, while his mind searched for an answer. He wasn't entirely sure whether to tell Red the truth, or to try to avoid the question. He chose the latter of the two, for the idea of pouring his heart out to his adoptive father in a situation like this did not appeal to him.

"Don't play mind games with me, Red.." Axl whispered, his voice shaking. "It's not going to work.."

Red had made his way to the compact casket of surgery utensils, but he blocked this from Axl's view with his body. He chucked softly, and closed his eyes, as if to appear innocent. "Axl, you should know better. I was merely asking a simple question. If you truly loved me as you say, then you would not place false accusations on me." His body turned slightly to the side, and it was clear he was hiding something behind him. "And you would comply to my requests, like a good son would."

The younger of the closed his eyes tightly, trying to force away the relentless words that had been spoken. His efforts were in vain, though, as he couldn't help but believe every bit of it. If he'd only given Red what he so desired, then maybe he could be considered a 'good' son.

Taking this opportunity, Red disclosed what he had been keeping so secretive. Without warning, the little pocket-sized knife was sent flying through the air; and before the oblivious Axl could grasp what was happening, he found the weapon deeply embedded into his right arm, just above the wrist.

"Why don't you stop doing this," hissed Axl, trying to fight back the immense waves of pain that coursed through him. "It won't get you anywhere." Unable to resist it any longer, he dropped the guns to the ground, applying pressure as best he could to the bloody mess.

"I'll be the judge of that, kid." Red again turned toward the table, searching for other means of weaponry. All he could find was a small glass bottle, filled to the top with a slightly translucent, pale green fluid. He poured the transparent liquid onto the floor, cackling quietly while the final droplet drizzled off the metallic floor. He had then begun casually walking toward the bleeding youth, a grim smile playing on his artificial lips.

Axl had begun to wipe away the fresh blood from his arm, taking extreme vigilance. The last thing he needed was for him to accidently force the small blade in to the hilt, or to twist it. The sound of Red's footsteps caused him to gasp faintly; he had then reached for one of his guns, before a kick from Red sent him skidding backwards. The cold-hearted Reploid bent toward the ground, picking up the long-range weapon.

"Now, we can do this two ways. You can hand over what I want, and save yourself the pain," Red's eyes moved from the gun, to the glass canteen he held. "Or, you can refuse, and you'll find another object sticking from your body. It's your call."

Axl trembled at his available options, disliking both of the choices. If he were to give in to Red, then there was a small chance his wish for Red's admiration could be granted. Yet, it would be against his better moral judgement. If he refused, he would be doing the right thing for X and Zero, though it would probably go without a word of praise. After weighing these options, he found the decision to be a simple one.

"You've already hurt me in every way possible," muttered Axl. "So, one more cut isn't going to get you what you want."

"Oh, dear child, I think you misunderstand," Red smashed the bottom of the fragile flask with Axl's handgun, and raised it threateningly. "I always get what I want."

- - -

_Not exactly what I had planned to write, yet this works too._  
_But, thanks for the reviews, keep it up! :D_

_And just because I know someone is **bound** to tell me that I've taken Red too much out of character, I just want to say this: I know he's not really like this in the game, and I know he'd probably never go so far to do this to Axl. The thing is: It's a fanfiction, and if all fanfics followed the game they're modeled after** exactly**, we wouldn't have many good stories, would we?_

I've said it once, I'll say it again; if I've made a grammar error, or something is unclear, tell me! Keep in mind, I don't pay attention when studying grammar. Although, I don't think 9th grade level grammar lessons would make much of a difference...


	10. Cannot Escape the Problems

-

Axl's drew in a sharp breath, shaking his head slowly. He hesitated for a moment, oblivious to what was going on. "I just told you, hurting me isn't going to help your cause. You could mutilate me 'til you couldn't even even tell what I used to be. It still wouldn't make any difference." The determination he was trying to uphold in his voice was clipped with the terror that manifested within his heart. "So, don't bother anymore..."

Red narrowed his colorless eyes viciously, sending the injured youth a malignant glare. His facial expression closely resembled that of a berserk demon, sent out to maim innocent civilians; even his teeth seemed to have adopted an intricate curve to them, making them appear more like fangs. All were obvious signs that any patience he may have had, was now long gone.

"I thought you were so much smarter than this," Red mumbled angrily, gazing at his distorted reflection upon the jagged vial. "But, seems I was wrong. A first time for everything, I suppose." A grim smile played on his lips, before he lowered his gaze to the stunned child.

Axl then took the opportunity to position himself in a more upright sitting position, having just recovered from the blow he had recieved earlier. As he did, he watched Red's every movement, taking into consideration how potentially dangerous the larger Reploid was at the moment. His mind searched it's regions for a solution for the predicament he'd been forced into; but, Red's voice cut his chain of thought very short.

"Just always remember, I gave you _so_ many chances." Red's tone dripped with the darkest of malevolence, while his eyes reflected his wicked intentions. In one swift movement, he brought the glass down upon Axl's face, grinning at the sound of shattering. Axl had turned slightly, saving himself from the vial being lodged between his eyes; yet, it had caught from his left eye, down to just below his chin. Because of the way the glass had broken, tiny, sharp shards had fallen to Axl's neck, and a few of them had even managed to become embedded within the soft, exposed area.

Red's countenance had been marked with a look of achievement, and the laughter that followed supported this. Horror had developed on Axl's facial features, before a distressed scream burst from his cybernetic lung system. Everything was so horribly confusing, twisted, and wrong. How could anyone take so much pleasure in the pain of another? Especially, one they had once deemed their son?

"Why don't you just slit my throat!" cried Axl, fighting to keep tears from spilling. That would only prove his weakness further, and would do no good for the circumstance. "It would be faster!" It took an lot of emotional strength not to gasp at his own words. It wasn't so much what he had spoken that surprised him, it was more the truth to them. Here and now, he wanted nothing more than to pass on to a better place.

Red slowly ceased his laughter, shooting the child a complacent look. "No, my intentions are not to kill you. Although, you may not see it that way." He then paused, noticing the furious expression that had been etched onto Axl's face. "Killing you off would do me very little good, as I would lose what I've come for. Otherwise, I would be perfectly happy to comply with your request."

Axl moved his hand to the lacerated flesh that had once been his left cheek, feeling the warm liquid he'd become so familiar with. He took caution around the certain areas where glass protruded from the skin, as he did not wish to mangle his hand. After a brief moment, he soon came to realize just how deep the glass had sunken in, and how much damage it would cause. Most importantly, though, he found he would never again see the the brilliance of daylight through his left visionary.

He was half blind; only because of the selfish greed of his former adoptive father.

"Oh, please. Don't look so surprised," snapped Red, with a particularly dangerous edge to his voice. "Surely, you know I wouldn't have raised it up if I had not intended to use it. You should consider yourself lucky." He added a little emphasis to the word 'lucky.'

The statement was almost laughable. Lucky? Red couldn't have put much thought into those words, unless they were meant for sarcasm. Although, Axl never thought Red was exactly an intelligent person, especially if it came to something like common sense; or maturity, for that matter. There was no other explanation for the immoral actions that had taken place.

"Yeah, let me tell you," Axl muttered bitterly under his breath. "I'm _so_ thankful for these cuts. I can't think of anything better than this."

"Trust me, it could have, and should have, been much worse." Red spoke these words with utmost bitterness.

Red's face darkened considerably, almost as if the raging flames of hell had casted a shadow upon him. He cackled at the remark, and at the waves of throbbing pain that coursed through Axl's systems. The volume of Red's laughter increased, thus buying Axl a little time to think. It would be difficult, that was for sure; but, he for now, he had to change his outlook on the circumstance, as the direction he was headed was going nowhere. Right now, he had to assess the matters at hand. That is, if he didn't get a headache first.

_'All right...Red's going to do everything he can to get what he wants. Uh, and I don't know how many hunters he killed, meaning there's nobody around who can help me fight. There's probably no medical units, or smart surgical people, either. So, I can't get anything healed. Not that I could with Red here, anyway. Oh, and I can't move one of my arms. That's probably not good, either. Fits right up there with having a messed up eye. Anyway, this means the only thing I can do, is...'_

His reasoning came to a sudden standstill. His functional eye traveled about the perimeter of the room, as if desperately searching for a lost item. Axl had enough sense not to bolt for the Navigation Room, as Red was in the way of the entrance. This meant there was only one other exit, which was the way he'd come from. This was accesible, and would be an easy task to accomplish, except for the fact Red held one of his handguns. First, Axl would have to lower the tension between the two. This, of course, was much easier said than done.

"You know, there's something I don't understand." Axl said softly, keeping his voice as level as he could. "What was the point of killing all the others? Seriously, what did they have to do with anything?"

Red hesitated for a moment, before giving a sharp nod. "Ah, well, that was merely for my own security reasons. Surely, having a horde of rookie hunters squealing to X about this, would make things much more difficult." He paused, running a hand through his pale blonde hair. "Of course, I knew there was no need to kill _all_ of them. That would only be a waste of my time, especially if the majority of Reploids here are those pointless field navigators, or inexperienced rookies."

Axl had managed to move a few feet towards the doorway, in the time it had taken Red to make that speech. So far, it was working out all right. Still, judging by the way the rest of the day had gone, something was bound to go horribly awry.

"Okay, fine," replied Axl. He made a sudden movement backwards, which was sure to make Red suspicious. However, the young Reploid covered it with a short display of pain, making it seem more as if it had been accidental. "But how did you even get in here? I know the base has better-than-average protection."

"Oh, please. There isn't nothing-" Red was interrupted by a strangely proud-looking Axl.

"That's 'anything.' Double negative, you know." Axl smirked, giving his attacker an arrogant glare. Often times, Red would get caught up in lyrical speeches, and would forget simple things like that. Nobody back at the Syndicate had the courage to tell him when he was wrong, for they knew the consequences; so, of course, having a little teenage boy correct him wasn't going to make him all too happy.

"Axl. I'm the leader of the Red Alert Syndicate. You honestly think, something as little as your 'double negative' has any specific importance whatsoever in my duties?" retorted Red, who crossed his arms to show the extent of his irritation.

"Yes. Even _I_ know that. Grammar is always good," answered Axl. "Especially if you're a leader. Nobody wants an idiot who can't speak proper English to represent them."

Red closed his eyes to refrain from strangling the child. Had Axl not been so vitally important, the stronger Reploid would have murdered the kid in a second. As a result of this minor pause, Axl seized this chance to fully regain his footing. Instinctively, he turned to face the exit, trying to stifle the cries that were threatening to burst from his vocals.

Naturally, by this time, Red had finally caught on to what was happening. His eyes snapped open, and he soon had one of Axl's guns raised. He fired a projectile of plasma, but as expected, failed to hit the moving target. He muttered indistinct profanity to himself, before tossing the small weapon aside. As soon as he had, he drew his double edged plasma scythe, and reluctantly followed after his prey.

Before he had begun running, Axl understood his energy would not last long, due to the loss of blood he was experiencing. He also knew he had little knowledge of the base layout, so finding a safe destination was highly unlikely. Without warning, the heavy footsteps of the larger Reploid broke the serenity of the silence, as they were coming in rapid succession. Axl heard the sound of Red spinning his default weapon, a trademark technique that he always performed before striking the enemy.

With a quick jolt, the scythe soared through the air, striking the area where the boy had stood. Axl had anticipated the move, however, and had jumped a safe distance above. He remained suspended in midair, the hover attachments on his leg armor allowing him this ability. The only flaw of this skill, was the fact that it had to eventually abide by the law of gravity. The youth dropped to the ground, a few feet in front of where Red stood. He lost no time in resuming his departure.

_'Ha. What was I so worried about? I'm an escape artist. This really might be easier than I thought.' _He repeated this to himself constantly, although he knew darkness would rise up to defend it's reputation, and his faint wisp of optimistic light would fall.

He discovered a narrow hallway to his right, and immediately turned to it. Axl's breathing was heavy, and clearly agonizing; yet, he managed to keep it somewhat regulated. The hollow sound of metal armor coming in contact with the flooring behind him caused him to visibly tense. The child could feel the once abundant energy slowly escaping from his body's circuitry, along with his precious life blood. Only a little further, and maybe he could lead Red out of the base, or at least find a survivor of the previous assault; and after a while, he finally reached what became his final destination.

What he saw, however, made his heart sink into it's lowest depths.

-

It's been almost two weeks, hasn't it? Sorry about my lazyness. You know, the double negative thing was based on a real conversation between my mom and I. Of course, I changed some things, because obviously my mom isn't the leader of the Red Alert Syndicate. (Although, that would be so cool. I think..) I know I make my share of errors that burn your retinas, but I _had_ to add it in there. I just thought you should know that!

And there was a question about how Red got in; I'll answer it through the story later on.

Thanks for reviewing! You all make Khilai a happy person, 'cause she's easily amused. Also because you're just cool like that.

( I fixed a couple things. If you catch any mistakes, tell me. You know, I have a feeling I'm going to get yelled at because of the bad flow of this chapter.. )


	11. Nowhere to Run

-

Only the serene whispering of the winds, and Axl's irregular breathing pattern was audible, now. Individual leaves skittered about the topography below him, sweeping the rubble and the oceanic waves of grasses. The graceful moon illuminated his surroundings, and appeared to smile down upon him, with it's slitted smirk. Starlight burst through the vast obsidian sky, and created individual little spotlights, which all seemed to be pointed at him. It would have been a breathtaking and memorable sensation, on any other normal occasion.

Had it not been for the insecurity, and fear that was plaguing him so greatly. Axl would have loved to admire his magnificent setting, as it was not something he usually had the luxury to enjoy. Sadly, these simple pleasures were almost invisible to him, as a much bigger problem had forced it's way into Axl's conscious. It was his general location that bothered him, above all other issues.

A welcoming, intricately designed balcony. It had obviously been embellished by a female Reploid, hence the fluorescent choice of colors, and the balcony itself was nice. But, a balcony such as this also meant a dead end for the wounded child. It was impossible to turn and go back, as Red would simply catch him, and he would be right back where he started. To his right side, was a pale, lavender wall, decorated with a small alabaster symbol; and he assumed his left side was the same, although he could not tell for sure. Lastly, there was of course, his only available option:

A thrilling little drop to the battle torn terrains below.

The swift, unmerciful flow of time had suddenly become the enemy, and Axl was not given any chance to make a decision. Red's silhouette appeared a short distance behind him, along with the malicious atmosphere that had always followed. The youth drew in a sharp breath, and turned to face his prior mentor. Red's face was marked with it's usual malevolent smirk, while his eyes were ablaze with malignity. He administered a venomous glare toward Axl, who was trembling violently.

"What a waste, don't you think? All that running for this," whispered Red, with an edge to his voice. "And you're no better off than you were back there. Although...I suppose I'll give you a bit of credit. After all, you did manage to get past me, and evade my attack. Hm, maybe I have taught you _something_."

Axl bit down on his bottom lip, and without realizing it, had drawn blood. It was of no importance to him, however, as he had much bigger things to concern himself with. He backed away from his predator, making each footstep with extreme vigilance. One misstep could cause him trip and fall, which would result in more injuries; overall, this would not be a desirable outcome.

...Or would it?

Axl's vision had begun to distort and blur, making it almost impossible for him to see anything. He believed his own thoughts were acting in the same manner; seeing as though jumping actually seemed like a good idea. The only positive point of this was that Red would be out of the base. Thinking along this same course, there was also the chance that Axl, himself, might survive. It was not a terribly long fall, about the equivalence of a human flagpole. The thing that was bothering the youth, was his condition. Was he resiliant enough to withstand that in his current state? While formulating another one of his bound-to-fail escape plans, he decided he should say something to Red; something just to tick him off, simply because Axl felt obligated to do it.

"Oh, don't be so modest," Axl replied sarcastically, narrowing his eyes slowly. "You've taught me _so_ much. Like the title 'strong leader' doesn't always mean 'smart leader.' All the important stuff." The teenage Reploid finished his remark with an arrogant grin, which added to the overall effect of the words.

Red knew Axl was referring to the grammatical error incident, and his expression changed accordingly. He took a few firm steps toward the swaying child, and his eyes clearly reflected the agitation he felt at the moment. Before he had reached his destination, however, what Axl had done caused him to freeze in his tracks.

Axl had hopped up to the metallic railing that encased the balcony, and was casually sitting on it, as if the two were engaging in polite conversation. The problem with this, was the younger Reploid's unsteady movements. He would not be able to keep this balance for very long, before he fell to the rubble and grassland below. Axl was aware of this, and strangely, was grinning.

"You fool! What do you think you're doing?" Red inquiried angrily, clenching his free fist. "If you think you're actually strong enough to live from a fall like that, then you're not only brainless, but insane!"

"I guess we'll find out, now won't we?" whispered Axl, closing his eyes tightly. With that, he lowered his head backwards, causing his armored legs to rise up; as expected, he had kicked Red's jaw by doing this, and judging by the loud noise it had created on contact, he had most likely drawn blood. Axl's entire figure had fallen by now, and he desperately tried to regain proper positioning, so that he would land on his feet. He was given only a few seconds to do this, and in his condition, he was incapable of achieving this;

And, much like everything else, things did not happen the way Axl had hoped.

-

Zero absentmindedly released an elaborate yawn, stretching out his arms to add to his display of exhaustion. He placed his hands behind his head, walking nonchalently beside X. Normally, Zero preferred to just teleport back to the Hunter Base, as it conserves a fair amount of time. However, X always loved to enjoy the sounds and imagery in nature, so he had insisted they walk back.

"You always have to do this to me. See, I _knew_ I should have went by myself," joked Zero, smirking at X. "Instead of watching grass grow, I could be asleep, which is much more productive."

X rolled his eyes, catching a glimpse of the base. It was only a short distance away, and would not take much longer. Of course, the walk may have been a little more enjoyable if Zero had not been complaining the entire time, but it was to be expected. Zero just did not appreciate the smaller, more simple aspects of life; nor did many other Hunters he knew, come to think of it.

"It's helping you put off the vital scans with Lifesaver, isn't it? Don't complain so much." replied X, keeping his tone completely free of frustration.

Zero had immediately hushed, since he disliked the mention of that medical Reploid. Everyone knew this; Lifesaver always had a bitterness towards Zero, as well as an eagerness to get the crimson Hunter into some form of trouble. This caused Zero to return the harsh behavior as a form of defense, simply because he was not the kind of person to take things like this lying down.

"Fine," Zero muttered quietly. "No need to go _there._" X stifled the laughter that threatened to burst from his synthetic lungs; he had always found Zero amusing, especially on a topic such as this. He merely shot Zero a friendly smile, and shook his head slowly.

"I had the strangest feeling you would agree with me on that." mused X, who felt particularly accomplished and proud of himself. It was not very often that anyone could best Zero in a verbal arguement, including him. Zero gave X a nasty glare, and crossed his arms in such a way to show his displeasure. Of course, it was not a real presentation of disgust, as there were things far worse than a confrontation with Lifesaver.

One of these things, was exactly what the two Hunters had encountered upon their arrival.

-

I hope the characters are diverse enough. I've probably taken everyone horribly out of character without even realizing it...Or maybe I'm worrying too much about stupid stuff?

Yay, reviews! Thanks guys!

Oh, and because it was asked about why I only made Axl half-blind, and it can't really be explained through the plot, I'll answer. It's really just something I've done to my personal favorite character in a lot of other stories I've done. (Since like...3rd grade?) There's no real story reason here. Unless you want to consider that Red wanted Axl to have the same mark...Yeah! Let's go with that one! _The real reason's just never as cool._

Well, tell me what you think so far! It would make my day 9,618,574,293 times better. Or something. :D


	12. Facing Hardships

-

The two dazed Hunters gasped in unison, while Zero, who was at least four feet ahead of X, reached the cause of the sudden shock. Zero shook his head slowly, before he knelt down beside the tattered figure. X caught up within a second's time, and his normally gentle emerald eyes were plagued with unimaginable guilt and pain. No matter how he tried, the cerulean Hunter could not shake off the feeling that this horrific incident had been his own fault.

Before them, was an unresponsive Axl, who was amidst the pool of his own life blood. Jagged shards of glass protruded from the left side of his face, and more noticably, there was the mutilated flesh that surrounded his eye. Lastly, was the matter of the surgical precision knife, that was plunged deeply into his right arm. As expected, he was unconscious, and the two Hunters were completely unaware of Red's interference, or even the fact Axl had fallen from a higher ground.

"...This isn't a good sign. X, why don't you go on in and check for other damages? I'll take care of him." whispered Zero, who was wiping some of the blood from Axl's face. X remained as silent as death itself, and made no movement to comply with Zero's request. It was as if he was frozen in a single moment of time, unable to free himself from the shock that accompanied the situation. Zero cleared his throat and snapped his fingers, which was meant to break X from his dreamy state of mind. When this failed, he ended up clapping his hands together; this caused Axl to flinch, proving that he was still alive, but did not reach the distant X.

"X! Are you even listening to me?" snapped Zero. His voice was tinged with a deadly edge; of course, this was only his concern and fear manifesting within him, and bursting out more cruelly than intended. However, it did manage to complete it's appointed task, as X had finally returned from his world of daydreams.

"..I'm sorry, were you saying something?" replied X softly. His eyes had never once left Axl's still form; he had examined Axl's body countless times in the past minute, and he knew it's condition like he knew his own name. Blood had even soaked into the younger Reploid's hair, and sound of small droplets of the crimson liquid slamming against the tainted grass was the only audible noise between the three.

After this eerily quiet moment, Zero then proceeded to speak. Right now, he feared the worst for the fate of the other Hunters. "Yes, I wanted you to go check on the base. You're going to be headed there anyways. I need to take care of this kid," whispered Zero. "Hurry up. If everyone has ended up as bad as this, then we've really got problems." He hated the bitter thought of this, but he knew better than to be optimistic, and have his hopes shattered by reality. The crimson Hunter had seen it and experienced it so many times before; but there was a time and place for everything, and this was not any time contemplate the past.

X blinked, as if he were still intaking the information. After this brief pause, he administered Zero a sharp nod, and dashed off in the direction of the base. His thoughts were clouded with what he percieved to be negativity; however, these pessimistic notions were very close to the truth. No sooner had he entered the indented doorway, did he get the urge to take his leave of the somber sight. Individual flecks of blood dotted the damaged hallways, and corpses of fellow Hunters lined the hallways. Most of all, though, was the emotion that blazed in their faded, colorless eyes.

Each optic was placed upon X's stunned figure, and each pair of eyes was flooded with endless waves of sorrow. Every one of them stared through X's form; they were staring into the loneliness, the guilt, and the regret that had configured itself in X's mindset. Had it not been for the rapid rise and fall of the azure Reploid's chest, he could be easily mistook for one of the dead.

Zero eventually made his way to entrance of the disheartening structure, yet, he was more capable of concealing his shock and his emotions. He nudged X with his shoulder armor, and motioned for him to move forward. Although he understood the mental anguish X was experiencing at the time, he was also aware of the possibility of survivors, who would need assistance. Even if there were no others who endured the unexpected assault, the crimson hunter was still worried for Axl's sake.

"Listen, X. As much as this may sound cruel to you, I want you to forget about the dead, and concentrate on looking for survivors." said Zero, using a comforting tone to alleviate X's increasing sorrow.

"...All right. I'll try to find a medical unit for Axl, too."

X flashed Zero a reassuring smile, before taking off in another direction. He was ignoring the lifeless bodies of the others to the best of his ability, which was beginning to fail him. The expressions that would forever mark the pale faces of the dead was horrifying to him, despite the fact he dealt with such things daily. As much as he tried to convince himself of the truth of that thought, he realized deep within his heart, that it was not the same. Slaying one with intent on mass destruction and the torture of others was one thing, while slaughtering innocent civilians was another. There was no need for further comparison from there.

In an instant, he snapped back into reality. This was not the time to be exploring his emotions, or the endless threads of his mental capacity. Carefully, X examined each of the countless side hallways, in search of anything; signs, bodies, survivors, or even an exit to the nightmare he was living. Much to his surprise, many of these areas were empty, aside from the occasional mark of a struggle. Whatever had happened, the attacker had a set destination, and had obviously wasted no time in reaching it.

After approximately fifteen minutes of thoroughly searching the insignificant, smaller bits of the base, X mustered the courage to head back to the central hallways. Mentally, he was sketching out a map of the route he would take, and planning his next area to scrutinize. Common sense told him that a quick scan of the central hall was all that would be necessary; while it could take much more time to get around to each individual chamber.

_'Note to self: Leave the Hunters' quarters for last. If fate takes pity on me, maybe Zero will decide to go look through all of them.' _Although, he knew very well, that luck had no part in this particular day.

X ventured into the chamber used for surgical purposes, expecting to find it uninhabited, much like the other areas. To his dismay, however, there were more innocent victims that had met their untimely end at the hands of the enemy. With emotional complications, he managed to defeat the urge to lift each of them into his arms, and prepare a temporary burial service; instead, he retained his concentration for the task at hand. Taking extreme caution, he moved on to the adjacent Navigation Room. Before X had even passed beyond the doorway, he could almost be sure he heard someone's voice. This could mean he was going insane, or that there were survivors; hopefully, it was the latter of the two.

With the metallic creaking sound these doors were famous for, the entrance slid open in a single movement. This revealed an array of trembling Hunters, as well as Alia, Signas, and Douglas; as for the rest, it had become impossible to determine who they were, with the commotion that had suddenly erupted.

"...X?" Alia cried, while silver tears began to swell in her eyes. "X, is it really you?"

A flicker of happiness spread across X's facial features, while he casually advanced into the heart of the room. He nodded slowly in response, while his eyes scanned the perimeter of the chamber. In general, the room had been left untouched, other than the typical scratches made by the ecstatic crowd. His fear had settled down considerably, and this was made clear as he visibly relaxed.

"Okay everyone, I'm glad to see some of you are still with us. I must request that you remain calm. As far as we know, the attacker has left the base," X paused, and drew in a sharp breath. "But, many lives were stolen in the process. Right now, I'm searching for survivors, and Zero-"

As if it had been planned prior to these announcements, Zero emerged from behind X. Many of the Hunters gasped in awe at the limp, lifeless figure in Zero's arms. Even Alia, who had not yet spoken to the young Reploid, could not keep her tears held back any longer. The crimson Reploid paused, and shifted Axl's weight to a more comfortable positioning, before turning to the assembly of Reploids.

"Look, I need anyone who's got experience in the medical field, to come with me. I'm not sure how long the kid's been like this, and from what you see, you know that that's not good."

Zero's short presentation ended with this. There was no commotion, nor noise. Overall, the still cluster seemed more like a photograph that had captivated each of them perfectly, than the actual beings themselves. Zero's hope was beginning to falter, which was displayed as he lowered Axl's body slightly. X glanced over at Alia, and curiousity washed over him. He had always known her to be skilled at treating minor injuries, therefore, there was nothing he could lose by asking for her services.

"A-Alia," X stammered, looking over the shocked Navigator. "Do you think you could do something for him? Just to...H-help fix the bloody mess?"

-

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

If you press that little purple button down there, it would be even better than having a Valentine!

Perfect. I have to be mean on a holiday. (sigh)

**Lyza K:** It's fine that you dislike what I've written, I can deal with rejection and everything. You did have some valid points in the beginning - yes, maybe I have physically tortured Axl too much for the good of the story, and I admit to that. If you had left it at that, I'd be perfectly happy with what you've said. It's the rest of what you said that wasn't right. Telling me that I'm young and inexperienced is _pointless_. What should I do about it? Not only that, but...You actually had the nerve to say **'you're writing a story because your daddy doesnt get you everything you want?'** Not everyone is like you, y'know. What's happened between my father and I has _nothing_ to do with 'getting everything I want.' In case you couldn't tell, it's just a **_slightly_** touchy subject. And who are you to judge how I get inspiration to write? It shouldn't _matter_. Before I end this, here's something to think about:

If you had given me an email address, I would verbally tear you apart you in _privacy_. No, of course you didn't _think_ to include that. Were you afraid of the stupid little girl with no experience? Just thought you should know, now everyone who reads this story, knows about you. I hope they laugh at you. And, you know what the best part is? It's _your_ fault it happened. Oh, but have a nice life.

As for everyone else; thanks for the support!


	13. Beginning of the Spiral

-

A heartbreaking silence enveloped the damaged chamber, while countless pairs of eyes focused on the female Navigator. She felt insecurity form within her mind, and she was almost positive that there was a spotlight of some sort, just directed solely at her. Alia's normally cheerful face was marked with an even mixture of concern, discomfort, and the most apparent, fear. That emotion itself had spread like an epidemic; everyone had experienced the torment of terror, and therefore could easily relate to and comprehend Alia's circumstance. Whether or not they chose to, however, was a different story.

"X, I...I just don't know if I can..." she stuttered, stumbling over her speech. It was obvious she was at a complete loss for words. "..I don't specialize in this field of operation. What if I do something wrong, or perform malpractice that could endager his life further? Why don't you just get Lifesaver to-"

"Alia, you shouldn't worry so much about what you think you _can't_ do," cut in X. "Just concentrate on the abilities you _do_ have. Besides, you know as well as I do, Lifesaver isn't with us." His blood froze at the sound of those words; he had never thought much of it prior to this mention of it, but Lifesaver had not been present. Nor had he been located on X's short scan of the area. He could only pray that the medical Reploid had found another safe haven to take cover in.

"If I find him, I'll be glad to have him help you. I just don't have the time to search for something that might not even be there. You've had at least a half a year of training, but you've just never been given the opportunity to test your skills and knowledge. Why not start here?"

X's gaze shifted over to the tortured youth's motionless figure; from X's point of view, Axl resembled an abused infant, snuggling up to it's parent for warmth and comfort. The child's countenance was ultimately marked with the look of a beaten, neglected animal, that had been abandoned on the coldest night of the year. If Axl had told X of his past experiences, the heroic Reploid would have realized this comparison was not far from the truth.

Meanwhile, The other Hunters whispered amongst themselves, a few of them in perfect understanding and agreement with X, and most of the others believing that even the notions of Alia's 'skill' was insane. This whispering intensified as time slowly progressed, turning into shouts and shrieks of protest. Some of the Hunters were even laughing at the idea of Alia working in a field other than navigation. A look of determination then passed across Zero's facial features, as he drew himself to full height. The sound of his voice reverberated throughout the confined space, and had succeeded in catching the attention of each Reploid present.

"Look, if you're all just going to sit back, put down Alia's confidence, and watch this going on..Then you're going to be just as responsible for the kid's death as the attacker! Do you really want the guilt of murder on your conscious for the rest of your life?"

Just as Zero had anticipated, the exchange of words had subsided. Nobody dared to make even the slightest movement, since those that knew Zero, also knew of his infamous temper. Each and every soul within a ten-foot radius of the frustrated Hunter feared for their existence at the moment; everyone, except a single brave Reploid.

He had been one of the Reploids in need of rescue back at the Lava Factory; during that time, he had appeared someone with a very shy, reserved, and aloof disposition. Now, however, that had all changed without any warning or explanation. He had become courageous, willing to challenge those who were considered far superior to him...And he had also become very, very unwise.

"Oh, come now. The guilt of murder? Were we the ones who sliced his face open with glass? Did we stab him with a surgical knife?" he retorted, his voice dripping with an inexplicable and fiery malignance. "I refuse to be wrongfully blamed. For all we know, he did it to himself. There's a rumor going around that Axl's just a suicidal runaway. That kid's crazy."

If the chamber had not been completely silent earlier, the sudden look of shock that passed the others' expression would have possessed more emphasis. Many thoughts had begun to take shape within the mindset of each individual, but nobody had the courage to say so as much as Zero, himself, did.

"No. Nobody has directly done anything. Yet, if you just keep standing there, watching a life slip away, what makes you different from a killer? I know better than any one of you...You don't want to be faced with that..." Zero's voice had grown fainter with every word, before he had finally broken off.

His emotions were getting the best of him again. For a long time now, even the smallest things, such as the sight of a female Reploid that just vaguely resembled her, caused Zero to relive that same horrific day. The teenage Reploid's limp body was positioned in the same way his former love had been, and the circumstance was very much the same; this caused Iris's final words repeatedly echoed through his mind, while every devastating memory was brought back to him. Although it went un-noticed, Zero's sapphire tinted optics had adopted a distant, longing, and tormented appearance.

While Zero became victim of a daze, X had continued to watch Alia, and he quickly took observance of her advancement. She had gradually forced her way through the vast sea of Hunters, until she had found herself standing parallel to the azure Reploid. Not once did she look up, which made the fact very clear; she was still unconfident in her own ability, and the words of others had not helped her self-esteem. Although, the Navigator knew what she had to do, she felt as if she had no support from anyone. Was it abnormal to feel insecure in a predicament such as this?

"You should all be ashamed," snapped X, his eyes moving from Alia to the crowd. "Everything that Zero said was true. Alia's going to do something about it, which is more than you can say for yourselves. Oh, and, as for _Rovin_..."

X's voice was tinged with a harsh malevolence, and his gaze focused solely on the Reploid who had opposed Zero's words earlier. Naturally, the cerulean Hunter could not help but feel aggrivation toward Rovin; Of course, X had said Axl's behavior had implied he wished to take his own life. However, by no means could he be given the label of 'crazy.' That was cruelty the young Reploid did not deserve.

"'That kid's crazy,' is not quite the phrase you're looking for. Try 'That kid's screaming for help,' and you just might be a little more accurate."

With this final statement, X made a quick gesture towards the entrace; Alia took her leave first, and was followed by the irritated X. Zero stayed behind for a second, before bitterly narrowing his eyes at Rovin, and administering him a nasty glare. How could this Reploid, who had just been rescued shortly after the mission was assigned, possibly know anything about what was going on? The scarlet Reploid glanced down at Axl's right arm for a brief moment, just to confirm the fact he had pulled out the small tool that had once been embedded within it.

It was true; there was no trace of the precision knife, other than the bloody welt on the youth's arm. Why then, did Rovin know about it ever being there to begin with? Only an experienced expert in medical occupations could possibly identify this, and Zero was pretty certain, that this was not the case for the rescued Reploid. At this time, however, he had too many different emotions and muses running through his mind. He was incapable of organizing them, so instead, he simply departed from the chamber.

_'Yes, you just turn around and leave. You're wasting your time and energy on that child. Fixing all the little cuts will do you no good, if you don't get rid of the source.'_

Rovin's synthetic lips curled into an arrogant smirk, as soon as he was positive that all danger had been removed from the area. He always knew Hunters were quick to trust those in need. X had always been known for his sympathetic attitude, and his understanding personality towards everyone. Therefore, it was impossible for the soft-hearted Hunter to ignore a desperate for help; it did not matter who the victim was.

And this compassionate heart was the very cause of these further troubles.

Rovin is an actual rescuable Reploid at the Lava Factory; and he had the least common name, so I used it.

Okies; most of you who reviewed hate Lyza. Actually, scratch that, I think all of you hate her guts. Y'know, she didn't really achieve anything, though. Unless she considers making herself one of the most hated things in existence an achievement, in which case, she should feel VERY accomplished! Despite that, I just wanted to thank everyone, not just for getting back at her, but for supporting me all the way. Instead of yelling at her now, we can just laugh. Or use her as a vent for anger. Don't get mad, blame Lyza!

I can summarize her in one simple phrase:

"Someone's got their panties in a knot." OoO. Means she has lots of anger issues.

**To the Infamous Lyza:**

Like I said, you have attitude problems. They have help for that. We just call it 'Anger Management Classes.' You should go take some! Or, you can go on living the way you are. If you do, send me a pretty postcard from hell or something. (:

**_WARNING:_** Getting help may cause you to actually get friends. A common side effect of this is excessive smiling or happiness.


	14. Price of Approval

-

Darkness. That was all that surrounded him, and nothing but a bittersweet silence accompanied him. For hours, that had seemed like an eternity, his world had been anguished and empty. Axl's body may have been unresponsive in the real world, but it was free to roam about in this imaginary state. Although, the dreaming mindset of a tormented Reploid is a strange and inexplicable system, and it has a way with further emotionally damaging those in already in anguish.

From his current perspective, the world was enveloped in frigid shadows. Anyone could quickly become lost in the endless space, either physically or mentally. Life is meant to be shared with another; it could almost be considered abnormal or unhealthy to face the world alone, like he had been doing for what appeared to be forever.

But on the same note, Axl realized that this was simply 'another day on his own.' How was it different from all the other wasted days? If anybody else had been with the young Reploid, trapped in this dreamy state, maybe he would have felt less apprehensive and uncomfortable.

Just as the youth had begun to adjust to his settings, the sound of footsteps reverberated through the vast emptiness. Axl was unable to determine exactly how this was possible, seeing as though there were no visible walls or barriers. However, he also realized that he was at the mercy of this nightmare, and if it was going to bend normal logics, then there was nothing the child could do to change it.

Within a second's time, a distorted figure had appeared in front of him, and an atmosphere of bitterness had followed. The form resembled a demon, with a lust for the blood of an innocent; he wore an expression that could intimidate even the most experienced warrior, who might have spent years in the heat of battle. This manifestation obviously thought of himself as a Reploid upholding superiority, and he was going to let the frightened child know it.

"Oh, my dear child," hissed the translucent form, his tone dripping with malignity. "Why do you still cry over such trivial matters?"

Axl's head sharply snapped upward, and he administered the figure a seemingly venomous glare. Even with this anger that had ignited within him, the greater, and more abundant, feeling of sadness swept him away. Silvery tears brimmed in his eyes, threatening to spill; to prove him as a weak, inferior being. The small teardrops rebelled against him, and they slid down his synthetic flesh. Despite his constant efforts, Axl was incapable of keeping them locked within; again, he was a true image of weakness.

"I'm not crying!" Axl screamed, while brushing away some of the glistening droplets. However, more quickly replaced them. "I'm not...crying..And I..I'm no 'dear child' of yours...You don't even care about me anymore, Red. Not like you used to.."

"Does this really surprise you?" muttered the dream version of Red, with a quick roll of his eyes. "I gave you a home, which was all just fine, for a while. But, you failed to repay me for this unecessary kindness. You didn't pay the price of the love you were given."

Axl flinched at the final statement, as if it was physically painful to hear. A look of shock, resentment, and distress crossed his countenance; this clashed with the determined tone that accompanied his voice, but it also reflected upon the confusion the young boy felt.

"Since when could you put a price on love?"

The manifestation of Red shot Axl a vulgar glare. "You are such a foolish child. I believe everyone else would agree," he said, deliberately avoiding Axl's question. "It must hurt to know if you had only given me what I needed, you may have been able to save so many precious lives."

Just as Red had done, Axl was now evading the answers he was expected to give to Red. "You're not even listening to me!"

The larger figure crossed his arms in an arrogant fashion, while a smirk formed upon his features to match it. From the way Red was quivering, it appeared as though he were desperately trying to stifle his laughter; and, after this feigned effort, it had finally escaped his vocal systems.

"Of course I'm not going to listen to you. Would anybody else listen to a bloodthirsty killer? For, that _is_ what you are. Just a shameless killer."

The young Reploid backed away, stunned by the statement; he could not believe what he was hearing. Never once in his life, had he willingly wounded or killed anyone, without valid reasons. Or, at least, for reasons _he_ believed to be good ones. Was the pride of an irrational parent reason enough for what he had done? Before he knew it, he discovered the truth within Red's cruel words; he _had_ slaughtered civilians and soldiers alike, without a second thought - and it had not even bothered him, until now.

"You don't know what you're talking about! You're the shameless one! And I.." Axl trailed off from there, fighting with his own conflicting emotions. Even though he was used to taking emotional abuse as from others, there was only so much of this he could contain. Once he managed to regain the strength to speak again, the tone he used was not insecure, fearful, or loving, as it usually was; it possessed a deadly edge.

"I hate you, Red."

Red remained completely still, all except for his eyes; the pair of normally colorless optics now resembled the most powerful, and malevolent, flames. The embers within them danced about the area of milky white pigmentation, almost as if they were laughing at the young runaway. Soon, however, even Red lost control of the roaring blaze, and brilliant flares of scarlet encompassed the dark perimeter. The illogic and horrifying fantasy of the nightmare had begun to take control.

The flames licked at Axl's body, and now proceeded searing through his dark armor. It took no longer than a few seconds, for the intense fire to expose an abundance of his vital system circuitry; the entire area that had once been his chest, was now no more than an unrecognizable disarray of melted cybernetic components and blood tainted wiring.

And all Red could do, was extend his left index finger, and laugh uncontrollably at Axl's misfortune.

"..No more.." Axl whispered, trembling wildly amidst the bedsheets. His optical systems fluttered for a moment, as his vision was blurred and unfocused; but, as of right now, that was the only affliction that he could feel for himself. Although, the other wounds still existed, they no longer throbbed or pulsated heavy amounts of vital liquid.

When his functional eye finally adjusted to the brilliance of the light, the first thing he noticed was the slightly dried scarlet stain on his small pillow. Blood had soaked into the silky white fabric; because of his tossing and turning, he had disrupted the wounds on his eye, and caused them to bleed. It was no longer at a life threatening level, however, and the sight of his own bodily fluid no longer surprised him. It was just as natural as waking up in the morning.

The young one turned from the tainted pillowcase, and gradually, began to cease shaking in fear. He was quick to give up this attempt, however, as soon as he caught a glimpse of another Reploid; namely, Zero. The crimson hunter was previously reading a tattered, aging, and extremely dusty, lavendar book. He had turned to face Axl once the child had awakened from the comatose-like state; he had even given the younger a gentle smile, as if to comfort him.

"G'morning, sunshine," Zero uttered, trying to alleviate the tension Axl felt at the moment. "I was starting to believe you were just going to sleep forever. Anyways, with that aside, how do you feel?"

"Like smashing someone's face in," Axl replied shortly, positioning himself upright. He was clearly much more willing to admit to the anger he held within, than he was to confess his sadness or fright.

"Axl, that isn't what I meant. Here, allow me to rephrase: How is your physical condition?"

The teenage Reploid was stunned, once Zero's words had finally processed; it reawakened a notion that had been forgotten to the youth. After an extended pause, he finally recovered the strength to speak again. And, this time, there was no tinge of confusion or regret in his voice; something that had accompanied him for a long time.

"Wait," Axl started softly, "You mean...You actually care? About me?"

It took all of Zero's might, emotional and physical, not to jump backward at those words. Sometimes, even he believed himself to be lost and alone, if he was faced with hardships he thought he could never overcome. But, to actually be so dispirited, and to be pushed so far as to come out and say it; that was truly despairing.

"Axl, did I ever give off any impressions that would prove otherwise?" stated Zero, while watching the younger rise from the bed. "I've never felt any dislike or bitterness towards you. That isn't going to change."

Standing up felt unusual to Axl, since he had not consciously moved much since the incident. He staggered for a while, and often came close to falling miserably; however, he would eventually re-adapt to standing and walking normally. Despite this knowledge, he had other matters plaguing his mind - the dream he had experienced, for example. And, with the recollection of the nightmare, came a sudden realization and a nagging, decisive question. A question he could not hold back.

"Then, would you hate me if I asked you a serious question?" the youth inqueried, lowering his gaze to the floor. Zero released an elaborate sigh, and gave an expression of mock-disappointment. Had they not had this conversation before?

"You know, I think you've been asleep much too long. Didn't I _just_ say I've never, nor will I ever, feel like that? You never have to worry about that from me, got it? So, go ahead. Ask away."

Axl's lugubrious response made Zero desperately wish he had not finished that last sentence; it was the kind of response that retained enough potential to break anyone's heart in an instant. And, obviously, it had done just that.

"What's the cost of your love?"

-

This story is not shounen-ai or yaoi. The last statement doesn't mean that kind of love. Just making sure that's clear.

I think I'll make it a routine to respond to reviews. It's a little strange that I choose to start doing this when the story fourteen chapters old. Khilai does many stupid things. Ah, whatever, it doesn't matter. Onward!

**PRIVATE: **I actually did include something about Axl resembling an infant; it was meant to clash with what Rovin said. I'm sorry about your computer, too. Before I joined this site, I had to restore my computer for the same reason. Viruses are so evil! But, I don't think Lyza has the brain-power to damage your computer. She's just too stupid.

**Rue-07:** So'kay, Axl will get a little more love soon. Rovin's not nearly as bad as Red is; I'm just setting him up for future reference and conflicts. But, feel free to burn him as much as you want anyway! Maybe I should put a warning label on this story, 'Do not read if you do not have a destructive force or weapon nearby. Side effects of this story include a significant decrease in the number of matches in your possession, and the addition of a burning ritual in your daily routine.'

**Lady Axlia(Formerly known as Lady Pamie): **Go ahead, kill Red as many times as you want! Didn't you hear? It's the all-new trend! It's also proven to be good for your health. So, kill a Red near you!

**Prjct. WAR: **Rovin is a rude jerk, isn't he? I hate him just as much as everyone else does. Although...I have the power to make his life miserable. I can make him get up and dance in a pink mini-skirt. Not that I would.. And, Lyza can go jump off a building. Must suck to be her. And, Red too. Everyone seems to love to kill them in many interesting ways.

**LadyHammer: **Wow, I'm happy I played a part in making you like Axl a little more. Makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something! The biggest downside to this story is, it's pretty much guaranteed to make you hate Red's metallic guts. That is, if you don't already. Thanks for reading this!


	15. Deepened Cut

Axl's question could not have possibly been more damaging; the impact of those words upheld the equivalence of a succession of stab wounds from the jagged blade of an assassin's knife. 'Unbelievable' would be an extreme understatement for the circumstance. To feel the need to pay for affection and admiration was a truly disheartening notion, especially to someone like Zero. He had often felt alone and misunderstood, but never, not even at the worst of times, had he felt obligated to work for love. Love's presence was never questionable in his life.

"Axl...What possessed you to ask something like that? C'mon, there's no need for you to worry about any..'payment.' Not from something as ordinary as that."

Zero was about to place a hand on Axl's shoulder, as a gesture of reassurance, and hopefully, to create a sense of comfort. Axl's reaction was very different than Zero could have anticipated, though; the youth cowered under the shadow of Zero's hand, and his eyes were ablaze with an immense amount of terror. He then closed his eyes, and fearfully awaited the expected pain to befall him.

"..Don't..." the runaway whispered softly, "I'm sorry, I won't ask any more questions.."

Once those words were spoken, Zero had immediately drawn his hand back; the crimson Hunter was now fighting off the guilt that had begun to engulf his heart. As far as he could tell, Axl had the two terms 'love' and 'pain' confused, or he simply thought them to be the same thing; either way, it was a dismal manner in which to live by. Of course, Zero knew all about the hurt that can accompany love, and the acts it can force one to do.

"No, relax, I wasn't going to.." Zero paused, waiting for Axl's heightened tension to subside. Nothing happened; however, Zero was always known and credited for his stubborn persistancy. "..Hey. Come on over here, kid."

Still, Axl remained stationary, while his fearful emerald eyes followed Zero's slightest movements with an utmost caution; almost as if the youth was awaiting some form of cruel retribution to befall him. However, nothing wicked or harsh had happened. Although, Axl believed that all trust and love lead to suffering, which was not a path he wanted to cross again.

_'I haven't done anything worthy of getting his affection. All I've done is make more problems for everyone! The only way he'd be so willing to take to me, was if there was something to gain...Like Red..'_

"All right. Since you seem to like promises, I'll make one now," Zero stated, in a final desperate attempt to alleviate the terror that troubled the younger's mind. "I _promise_ that I will not hurt you, nor try to hurt you in any way. Now, I didn't break my promise to you before, right?"

Some of Zero's words were erased, as the indecisive Reploid's blaring thoughts broke his concentration. _'What am I doing! Am I just going to throw away this once-in-a-lifetime chance? Then everything Red said about me was true! I am just a stupid, worthless kid!' _Axl's mind screamed at him, urging him to accept the opportunity he was being given._ 'But still...Love is murder, isn't it! ...I don't know...I just..'_

"It's no different here, either. You can trust me, kid."

Before Axl could completely process what had just been said, Zero was standing right beside him; but, there was one difference in the way the crimson Hunter was, and the way the all the others acted around the young one. Although it had always been rumored otherwise, hostility failed to be present with Zero. It was an inexplicable behavior, especially to one as lost and confused as Axl was. Without warning, a grin was displayed on Zero's features, as he ruffled Axl's matted disarray of hair.

"I think it's about time you loosened up a little. Not that I'm saying what you've gone through is nothing, don't get me wrong. But, rhe last time we talked, you were a whole different kid, you know that?"

For the first time in a long while, Axl was able to smile; granted, it was very weak and lacked the presence of happiness. But, at least he was still able to manage that. At the same time, the emerald pigmentation of the younger's eyes grew glassy as he became more distanced from reality. He could recall the time, that was not so long ago, when he and Zero talked like old friends. However, it doesn't take much to offset an unstable young child. After a somewhat extended lapse of time, he finally regained his grasp on reality.

"Yeah, I guess so," Axl replied shortly.

Zero absentmindedly sauntered over to the now-unoccupied bed, nonchalently sitting upon the white sheets. He then proceeded to stretch all four of his appendages, also releasing an elaborate yawn to finish with. Originally, he had intended on engaging in idle conversation, simply to ease the nerves of the young runaway. But, one glimpse of the remaining lacerations around Axl's left eye quickly convinced him to do otherwise.

"Axl, there's something important I need to ask you. It's all right if you're not ready to talk about it now, since it's still early, so just let me know. I know you were left behind when X and I left for the first Maverick, and you were injured when we returned. During the time we were gone, there was an attack of some sort, and I need any knowledge you have concerning it, if any."

Time seemed to come to an abrupt cease, captivating the two in perfect silence; a silence that only lasted for a minute. Axl's tranquilized disposition suddenly became afflicted with panic and guilt, which was shown through his sharp, irregular breathing. Again, he had begun to shiver, and his synthetic flesh grew abnormally frigid with the muddled mixture of downhearted emotions.

Unsteadily, he backed away from the S-Class Hunter, shaking his head in a wild fashion. Everyone knew about the incident; how it was his fault. If he did not exist, then Red would not have assaulted their base because of him. Everything that was happening, was because of him. And if even Zero knew to blame him for that, and knew about the problems that had aroused on Axl's behalf, then he had to get away. He had to stop causing so much trouble for everyone.

"I didn't mean for it any of it to happen! It was an accident, Zero! I didn't know..." he trailed off from there, taking one last glance at Zero. Without a second thought on the matter, he frantically dashed through the tattered doorway, leaving a very stunned Zero behind.

Running. He was running again, like he had done so many times before. It was the definite answer to all the troubles that could possible come to torment him; just run, leave everything else behind. As long as he was temporarily faster than the problems that could plague him, it was all right. But trouble, torture, loneliness, confusion, hatred, anger, and sadness; they all have their cruel ways of catching up with the one they've chosen to pursue.

Since Axl was now quite familiar with his way around the Hunter Base, he had little trouble navigating his way through the numerous hallways. He took note of indentions that had not yet been repaired, some of the hardened brown smears of dried blood, and the deformities of the paneling created by a powerful, plasma-based weapon. By observing, and recalling, some of these little details, he lost some of his concentration. Thus, he encountered something he had not planned on.

It was, none other than, Megaman X.

X had noticed Axl's crazed running a while ago, and had already prepared to put an end to the child's 'temper tantrum.' In one swift movement, he grabbed one of the fleeing Reploid's wrists. Once Axl had realized what was happening, he found himself being held in captivity by X's far stronger grip. Instinctively, much like a caged lion would, he fought with an animalistic ferocity to regain the freedom that he so desperately needed.

"Please, would you _stop_! You have absolutely no reason to be running through the base like that!"

Axl continued struggling, still dead-set and determined to make his ultimate escape from the Hunters. Only then, would they stop being hurt by the likes of him. Why could X not see that he was trying to do something for the good will of the people around him?

"Oh, really? How would you know?" snapped Axl, who was now trying to pivot his wrist at an abnormal angle as an escape measure. Like many of his other attempts at accomplishing a goal, he failed miserably. "..Were you spying on me?"

X was taken aback at the particularly offensive comment; never would he become so low, as to resort to eavesdropping on anyone during any kind of private discussion. Unknowingly, he tightened his hold on the youth's wrist, which then caused Axl to wince. "Axl, what makes you think I would ever do"

His inquery was soon interrupted by the voice that called from behind him, "X! What are you doing!"

This quick interrogation was enough to throw X's guard off, and finally, Axl was awarded the freedom he so desired. In less than a second, he was running again at his maximum speeds, knocking over a few of the casual passing Hunters. He was almost certain that he could smell the heavy mists and evergreen scent of the Earth's natural foliage, and was ready to take to it, like a wolf returning to it's homelands.

"C'mon, Zero!" cried X, the volume of his voice increasing with every word. "We've got to follow him! What if he does something he'll come to regret!"

Before Zero could manifest a response, a figure turned from around a nearby corner. His expression was marked with a grin tainted with utmost arrogance, and his golden colored visionaries flashed with a determination. With an innapropriate nonchalence, he strode past X, turning back only to mutter an almost inaudible sentence.

"Don't worry," uttered Rovin, "_I'll _get him."

..It took a lot of sugary soda to write this last night and this morning...

I'll do the review responses later in an edit, I gotta go to school! Going to be late, going to be late, going to be REALLY late...


	16. Recurring Failure

- - -

The sudden exertion after long days of inactivity had begun to take it's toll on the young Reploid. His legs had grown sore and had weakened considerably, and his head throbbed with an immense amount of pain. At the same time, he was caught in phase of contemplation, which did not soothe his increasing headache. One memory, a somewhat recent one, too, was what seemed to claw at his mind with it's jagged talons; to shred the remains of motive and determination. Why did something so trivial take such effect?

_...He had promised himself he would not do this anymore..._

Yet, there he was, fleeing from the carnage and malignity that he firmly believed he had created. The youth's countenance was tainted with a frightened expression; with a glimpse of him, one could assume he was being chased by a bloodthirsty murderer. In reality, however, this was not far from the truth; for, a short distance behind Axl, followed the Reploid of sterling silver pigmentation, who called himself Rovin. He was even complete with a trademark arrogant smirk, and upheld an atmosphere of mock-nonchalence.

Utilizing his own animalistic instinct, Axl was sure that he could taste the untainted air of the outside world. It was so near, and at the same time, a large part of him knew that this freedom was impossible to attain. There was no 'negative' outlook on this, it was merely the bitter truth. Whether or not he made it out there did not matter; he was a criminal, forever condemned to this life of fear and hatred. The location would change nothing.

Still, even with the heartache and confusion that welled within, there was the neglected part of him that pressed him forward. A forgotten part of his soul, that had been buried so deep beneath layers of conflicting emotions. It was the remaining spirit of a child, the light, youthful hope that had once graced him so beautifully. It was faint, nobody could deny that; but, it existed, for it was the only force keeping him alive. And, while this escape attempt was a tiny flicker of that shrouded innocence, only intended for the purpose of the Hunter's good, it was still a fragile dream.

Meanwhile, behind him, Rovin was struggling to stifle his laughter. What wasn't there to laugh about? All was perfect. Since he had planned everything prior to this, and had already visualized the outcome as he saw fit, Rovin saw the situation as a mere game - a game he was bound to win. With this thought, he then rapidly picked up speed, which now placed him nearly right beside Axl.

Once this was attained, the opposing Reploid kept his speed equivalent to the younger's, also making sure to stay out of the kid's vision. With a slight twist of his metallic spine, and with as much thrust as he could formulate, the predator then lunged onto Axl. In an instant, the two Reploids came in contact, which dragged both of them to the ground.

Despite the fatigue that troubled Axl, he still instinctively chose to resist the grip of the other. With his eyes closed, mostly due to the discomfort, he slammed his fist into the side of the other's face. Although the runaway had no way of knowing, he had split his enemy's synthetic lip; blood trailed from the predator's mouth, and now dotted the young boy's face. Rovin, growing increasingly annoyed with Axl's reaction, despite the fact that it was normal, delivered a sharp blow to Axl's throat. The elder Reploid's expression was stained with satisfaction, due to the choking gasps the youth was releasing.

"Now that I've got your attention," Rovin began, pausing only to spit the red fluid from his mouth. Axl felt the mixture of saliva and blood hit his left eye, causing him to flinch in disgust. "I need to ask two things of you. One, is for you to quit being a coward. Open your eyes, dammit."

Since Axl knew better than to refuse a request under these circumstances, he decided, for the sake of his health, to obey. Reluctantly, he allowed his optical sensories to focus upon his attacker; something he instantly regretted. A look of shock passed across his features, while at the same time, an expression of satisfaction had come to Rovin.

"Surprise," muttered Rovin, grinning. "Did you miss me, Axl?"

The shocked child immediately recognized Rovin, and mentally cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. Rovin was once a mischevious theif of a sort, who spent his spare minutes picking off those weaker than he. He was not stupid, though; he kept out of trouble with the laws of their world, having enough experience to perform expertise thievery without punishment. Most of all, though...

He was one of the Red Alert Syndicate's agents.

It was not a representive task that he was involved in, but instead, the art of spying for his and Red's gain. He and Axl had never been particularly friendly with each other; both of them were in constant competition to be Red's 'favorite.' When Axl's former mentor had adopted him as a son, Rovin had been beyond the limits of furious. The two has been at each other's throats from the very beginning of Axl's days with a family. It was almost a sibling rivalry; except, it could prove to be much more dangerous.

It had become clear, that Rovin had not regressed in his ability to complete dirty work without detection; because of this, he carried the advantage of being free of bad reputation, as far as the Maverick Hunters knew.

"Shouldn't you be mugging so--" Axl was then cut off by a sharp gasp; the tone belonged to the gentle Maverick Hunter, X. The cerulean armored Hunter was stunned by the scene laid before him, and felt as if the bonds of destiny were keeping him in a paralyzed state. Zero, however, was strong enough to resist such emotional manifestations.

The Crimson Elitist struck Rovin's side with the thrust of his armored leg, sending the malicious one a short distance across the metallic floor. Using his superior strength and larger structure to his advantage, he prevented any attempted movements originating from the silver Reploid. The young runaway saw this glint of opportunity to repay Rovin for the events that had just taken place; as soon as the chance was given, Axl threw his fist into the side of the spy's face, which further split Rovin's lip.

Noticing the potential danger that the situation held, X now became intwined in the fray. Snatching Axl's dominant hand to prevent further damage, the azure armored Hunter pulled the youth from Rovin's figure; it bore a resemblance to a mother seperating two of her quarreling children.

"X, stop it! Get off!" cried Axl, obviously in vain.

"I always told you the kid was insane! Far be it for you to actually admit that I was _right_!" Rovin shouted at his maximum volume, despite the fact that he and Axl were only a few feet apart.

The eyes of the two Maverick Hunters met, and as if the two had formulated a plan in that moment, a nod was given from each of them. Without a word, Zero pulled Rovin to his feet, rather violently, and guided him through the twisting array of hallways. Where they went from there, did not really matter to either X or Axl.

"So, Axl, would you mind explaining exactly what's going on? Although, if you don't trust me enough to talk, I can just get Zero. I'm sure you'll tell him everything." X's voice had a bitter edge to it, although it was not intentional. He was a little bothered by the fact that the child would engage in conversation with Zero, but not him. Was trying to protect everyone such a crime?

"You want to know what's up? Fine," Axl snapped, shifting his gaze to the floor. "I tried to help you, and it didn't work. Kinda like everything else I try, right?"

"Help? How is running going to help anyone? Axl, if we had wanted you out, then we would have done so long ago. I trust everyone, unless they've done something to convince me otherwise."

"I wanted to get one problem out of your life!" the young Reploid then paused, releasing a sigh of defeat. Fighting had gotten him nowhere. "..And if it means so much, I'll talk.." His voice was distant and choked, much like that of someone approaching their death. It was fitting, as this was how he felt.

X flashed the younger a weak smile, as a means of consolation. But, Axl wasn't really the only one who needed it. "It's going to be all right, okay? I'm not going to expose what you say to anyone...And, you know, this will help me understand you better."

Axl merely nodded, but was unable to return the smile he was given. He could not even bring himself to look at X any longer; he lacked the inner strength to accept a false display of happiness, especially from one of the Reploids he had idolized so long ago.

"Somehow," the young Axl started, shutting his eyes. "I don't think it will.."

- - -

...I'm sorry...About the leave...

**PRIVATE: **No, my Spring Break was weird.. I bet nobody had it the same time as I did. As for Rovin...Go ahead, burn him all you like. The

**MyGBACanTalk: **Like I said, I'm really sorry about that month thing...I hope nobody wants to tear my head off for it...

**Rue-07: **Thanks for the concern. It's all right, though. Except, now I have a lot of catching up to do...

**Prjct. WAR: **Thanks, and I'll go see your story's update as soon as I can.

**EvilRobotZombieLoofaOverlord: **Wow, that's a long name...I hope I didn't spell it wrong. Anyway, thanks for the review.

**Archaon: **Glad to have you here, and I'll go read you're new fic too. Liza probably shouldn't eat so many paint chips. She might pop her remaining brain cells..


	17. Questions and Answers

- - -

Though the purpose of conversation was mostly for his aid, a cold, disturbed feeling aroused within Axl's soul. Loneliness was something that had become routine, yet he could never truly get accustomed to it. Mega Man X stood only a few feet from the reluctant Axl by physical means; but in spirit, the two Reploids were a million miles apart.

X drew in a sharp breath, for he, too, was a little uncertain. The gentle Hunter's expression displayed a mixture of both uncertainty and confusion; Axl was not resisting or rebelling against him. He had anticipated it to be the very first reaction from the younger Reploid, much like it had been in the past. Still, there was no sign of such notions. The youth did not even bother to look at X, but instead, continued to stare into nothing.

Seeing as though Axl was not going to initiate the inevitable conversation, which was probably not a bad thing, X took the liberty of doing it himself. Not only did it give him some control of the discussion, but a little reassurance, too. Maybe now the two could set things right.

"So, are you feeling any better? You looked pretty bad a while back, and all...Axl?"

Then again, maybe not.

There was no immediate response or retort from Axl, which was unusual. In the past, he would have some kind of sarcastic remark or something similar to push X to the limit. But now, only silence floated about the unfriendly chill in the air. He could not bring himself to conjure a reply for the elder Reploid's inquiry, for he knew not an answer..

"Axl, please. Say something. It doesn't have to be relevant to anything," X pleaded, slightly leaning forward in Axl's direction. "Just..anything."

Still, Axl had not the attentivness or courage to form words. He was more absent with every passing moment; dreaming, imagining better days. As if there would be any. It took effort to remember a time he could safely say he was happy.

X's eyes were alight with a glint of kindness, as if trying to provide further consolation. As much as he hated to admit it, the cerulean armored Hunter much preferred the sarcastic arguements. Right now, he would be more comforted if Axl yelled and began some sort of hellion conversation. Nevertheless, he was yet again accompanied by the bitter mockery of silence.

"You can't tell me after what just happened, that you have nothing to say at all. You can call me an idiot, for all I care. Just let me know you still have a voice."

Up until this point, Axl had effortlessly avoided X's interrogation, without even truly realizing it. Having just now found the elder had been speaking, he shifted his gaze to meet X's. Much like in the past, the young Reploid had become apprehensive at the mere mention of conversing with the kind-hearted Hunter. They had not started out quite how either would have liked; but Axl had come to realize that there was no way to keep everything secretive. Zero knew background on him, and X would have eventually found out, anyway.

"..Sorry, what?" Axl spoke only loud enough for X to hear. It was a little strange, since there was nobody around to spy.

X flashed the youth a small grin. "I was just curious as far as your health, so I need-" He paused in mid-sentence, rethinking his approach. "I need you to talk about whatever you're comfortable with. What you did last week, what interests you, whatever. It doesn't matter."

X had spoken those words as if Axl had been oblivious to his true strategy and intent. The former Red Alert member knew what the Maverick Hunter was getting at; it was the only reason they had come to this chamber in the first place. Axl visibly tensed, and kept his face as blank and emotionless as possible - he refused to let himself be forced to the level of tears. Not again; hopefully, never again.

"No, you need me to talk about everything that happened," Axl began; and as he expected, X was ready to protest. "And it's okay. Really."

It was okay? That was certainly something new, but X was not about to complain. Fate must have finally taken pity on the soft-hearted Maverick Hunter. But why had he been so defensive before?

"Only if you're sure. Oh, and I would like to apologize for our last talk. It wasn't meant to-"

"Yeah, I know," cut in Axl. "Forget it." Not that this would undo it, but it was something trivial, and easy to forgive. Besides, he, himself, was partly responsible for the hostility prior to this. He leaned against the nearest wall, to give X an impression of nonchalence; although, casual and carefree was far from the way he really felt.

"All right, if you really don't mind talking about that. I do understand, for I know it is a little soon."

"Are you trying to start another fight? _Yes, _I'll talk. Stop worrying so much," Axl replied, with a quick roll of his eyes.

In reality, he had been begging for someone to express care or affection towards him. It was his stubborn side that was keeping him from showing more gratitude, and confining the same emotions he had shown to Zero. Somehow, it was different with X; it was an instinctive, insistent feeling of slight insecurity. X was official, pacifistic for the most part. He had become a recluse just before Axl's escape from Red Alert prompted him to fight again. Maybe it was this that caused the runaway to be so afraid of the Hunter. Nevertheless, he knew he could hesitate no longer.

"...You've heard of Red Alert, I'm sure. We...No - they've replaced your organization as the top-ranking Hunters," Axl sighed, turning his head away to hide his expression. "And you might know about the stuff they've been doing..Illegally.."

At any other time, the young runaway would have quickly denied that the Red Alert Syndicate was doing anything wrong. It was not like they meant for anything morally wrong to occur...At least, that is what he kept telling himself to believe. It was petty, maybe even stupid. But it did work.

X then nodded after a brief pause, giving Axl a weak smile. He wanted nothing more than to provide assistance, but at the same time, he had to cause damage. He felt much like a mother watching a child getting immunizations, unable to stop it from crying out in horror. There it was again; the same fear flashed across Axl's face. So little had been said, and yet, X knew there would be no light to discover.

And the worst had yet to come.

- - -

A malicious smirk marked Rovin's features, despite the fact he was standing beside a legendary weapon of mass destruction; he had released a small bit of revenge upon the teenage Reploid, which was what mattered. Zero, however, was not quite so pleased. Right now, he felt as if he could take out an entire army single-handedly - and he had no problem showing the silver Reploid his feelings.

The impatient Zero much resembled a rabid animal. "So, Rovin...What the hell is your problem?"

Rovin glanced at his lower extremities, mocking shame. "Oh, I'm sorry...But you know, he did bring it upon himself. He started it."

Zero could not believe those words; they sounded like something that would come from a toddler's mouth. How anyone could say something like this, and actually mean it, was beyond his comprehension. His eyes narrowed in a venomous glare, warning Rovin of the danger he was in, and reinforcing how serious of a discussion this was.

"Try again."

Rovin blinked, as if completely unaware to what he had done wrong. "..What? I speak the truth. Had he been strong enough to take care of himself, Red would've never picked that bastard off-"

The Crimson Elitist was always known for having a short temper, and he was not afraid to prove it to anyone. In an instant, he had shoved Rovin into the nearest wall, leaving a rather large indentation. His flawless sapphire eyes were ablaze with an immense hatred toward the arrogant Reploid, which finally gave Rovin the message. Zero would not take anything from anyone.

"I swear, Rovin, I will kill you with no shame."

"Fine. But, answer me this," Rovin's grin returned, which still annoyed Zero to no end. "Why care so much about that thing? There is nothing to gain from it, as Red has already tried. I'm jus' trying to save you the trouble."

"Since when did you have anyone else in mind? Thanks, but no thanks," he muttered, a deadly edge to his tone. "Unlike you, or Red, I know what's important. And in case you didn't know, there's always something to gain from a friendship. It's called _trust_."

The smaller Reploid scoffed, before shaking his head. A word such as that had no place in his vocabulary. "Great, fine. Take your trust, and shove it-"

Before Rovin could finish his vulgar sentence, Zero had raised his Z-Saber to the throat of the Red Alert agent. He resisted the urge, with difficulty, to violently remove Rovin's cranium from his shoulders. It sounded like a pretty good idea.

"Now, are you sure you would like to finish that?"

To prevent further threat, Rovin merely mumbled something incoherant, and shook his head. Broken pride was something he would not take lightly, but at the same time, he knew he would not be able to seek revenge if he was missing a crucial piece of his body. For now, he surrendered to his superior. This defeat was only one, though, and was not the end of the war.

Ah, laziness. That'll get you. Seriously, that's all it is. I will get to reviewing the stories of those I promised.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you. Bother your moms. It's amazingly fun!

Then shove it in your dad's face that he has to wait another month. That's more fun.

**Prjct. WAR: **Yes, Rovin is a loser. He needs medication. We'll have to see what happens to him, though, right? Maybe I shouldn't say that...'Cause I know...But, whatever! Thanks for reading. And Happy Belated Birthday! I skimmed through your newest chapter before school, and noticed that. Now I have to make you something. What do you like?

**DeyaX: **Hi! I know you've kinda left...But, you're still a really valuable friend to me. I really hope you do well wherever your internet travels take you. Thank you for everything. I hope to hear from you! When's your birthday? I have to get everyone stuff! I can't live with myself if I don't.

**Archaon: **Thank you. You do so wear a hat. -hands over a roll of toilet paper- My dog stepped on it. You have his and my signatures. Ooh, chatting is fun! It's like those parent-to-kid chats when the two don't get along. At all. And then the go into a slapping match! And then the world explodes. Or something like that...You better tell me when your birthday is, too!

**MyGBAcanTalk: **You can't kill me when I'm sleeping. I'm almost nocturnal! When summer comes around, I can stay up for over 24 hours if I get high on laughter and/or stupidity. Maybe I'm a freak for asking everyone, but when's you birthday, too? Knowing my luck, I've missed most everyone's.

**PRIVATE: **Ah, Rovin. Part-time loser, full-time bastard. Don't mention weapons, 'cause Rovin's got them too. But you're not supposed to know that yet...Then again, it would be obvious, I guess. No review freaks me out, by the way. I've married on the internet three times. :D Okay, not officially or anything. Just pretend. You know what I'm going to ask you, don't you? I have to get everyone presents.

No, I am not stalking you by asking for your birthday. I'm just obsessed with giving people presents. It's 'cause I care, that's all.


	18. Audacity

Time dragged on, as it always does; it answers to no one in its cruel mastery. He could not express how much he wished it would stop, pause, reverse...Anything. The young one had explained base information, such as generalized data about Red Alert as a whole. He told of their progression as a team, their sudden change in motive, and their quick regression into the reckless beasts they had become. But that was the easy part.

Anyone could have told X the basic facts he was given so far. Axl had revealed a little bit of inside information, and had begun to speak about Red. Of course, the youth described him before everything had become so wrong. Naturally, he felt as if he were lying about the Syndicate Leader in doing so; but there was no way he wanted to accept those 'lies' for what they were.

Just another piece of the past; a piece he still could not let go of.

"...I see you've spent a lot of time with them," X said softly, trying to maintain a smooth flow of conversation. Only time would tell how long this placidity would last.

"Yeah," replied Axl, shifting uneasily. "All of us are..."

Silence engulfed the room but a second after. Why had he been so oblivious as not to catch his mistake? There was no 'are' anymore, nor would there ever be again. Change is never an easy thing, or a particularly friendly one. But neither is life, or anything else intwined within it's twisted essence.

Axl mentally slapped himself. He could think later. "..I mean, all of us were really close. Me an' Gungaroo used to play pranks on Splash all the time..."

The former Syndicate member had never thought much of it before, but now it was a cherished memory. It also explained why Splash Warfly looked upon him with such disdain.

X could do nothing but stare at Axl, at a loss for words or a little consolation. Before coming into discussion with the younger, he had known it would be difficult. What he did not know, was just _how_ hard it would be - not only for Axl, but for he, himself, as well. But it was too late to turn back, and abjure to hard times; they could do nothing but continue.

"I'm sure you enjoyed each other's company," the cerulean Hunter pressed, trying to remain focused. "What made you leave all of that?"

'_There's the moment he's been waiting for,_' the teen thought to himself. _'He just couldn't put it off just a little longer..'_

"I..uh..." How he wished he could just lie to X's face. But experience had told him that life never came that simple. "..I had to...I couldn't give Red what he wanted."

"..What is it he wanted out of you? I know you're important to him. He contacted us, and wished for you to return to him."

Axl must not have been conscious when this contact had occurred, which, in a sense, was probably for the best. X's words had made it sound like Red had sincerely cared, but the former Syndicate member knew this was just embellishment. There could be no desire for he, himself to return; just his ability, his 'special gift.' It was anything but special anymore. He could not help but wonder how one little skill could change so many, destroy lives that were once perfect, and alter the fate of everyone involved.

Life is a funny thing; though the humor is disgustingly bitter.

"X, it's not me. I'm nothing. If you'd just let me come fight with you, I could show you what h-"

"No." X's reply was on the fine line between stern and vicious.

Axl's synthetic skin was now supporting a pale, almost pure ivory complexion. Before he could stop himself, he was glaring bitterly at the elder; however, he was more angry with himself for even thinking the response would be any different.

"So that's it? You're just going to say 'no?' It doesn't matter at all what I think?" Axl trailed off from there, his tone distant and airy. How many times were they going to do this?

"I've _seen_ you fight, which is just it. You don't. You run, and that will do you no good in battle," X raised his left hand, noticing how Axl was just about to cut in. "Before you start on me, let me finish. Don't believe or think for a second that I don't understand why you won't fight. I know emotions can hold you back, so don't worry about it. Just remember, your best interest is my concern."

"If my 'best interest' is your concern, why do you keep leaving me out!" Axl just turned away after that, reluctant for any kind of reply from X. In reality, he had known this was all coming; however, he preferred to lie to himself.

"Fighting is something most prefer to be left out of. Don't you realize that this is war? There's going to be bloodshed.."

"I know that!"

"I don't think you do. You're failing to get my point! Your _family_ will die!" shouted X, adding a somewhat nasty accent on 'family' - like Axl was not already aware of this principle. The notion of bloodshed had lingered at the back of his mind from the moment he met Zero, which was probably a natural conception.

"No, X! They aren't my family anymore! People that love you don't use you!" He paused, a sick feeling flooding through his body.

It had taken him such a long time to say those words, and to admit that there was no way around it. The Red Alert Syndicate was now nothing but a dysfunctional group of murderers, set to destroy anything that displeased or disobeyed their whims.

Though they always held a special place, and nobody could ever take that away, he had finally admitted that they were not a functional group anymore. A family. The word itself was more foreign every time he used it...

X sighed heavily, lowering his eyes to the metallic flooring. There was nothing he could say or do to help the younger Reploid, especially since he was still a little in the dark on the matter. Still, he was not so ignorant that he did not comprehend that taking advantage of someone is morally wrong; no matter what the reason may have been.

"Axl, I don't really know what to tell you...I understand some of what you're saying," The gentle Hunter glanced quickly to the other, merely to make sure he was paying attention.

"But I know there's more to it. For whatever reason, you don't want to tell me everything."

Although X's voice had retained its almost harsh tone, he was not as angry as he seemed. Frustration consumed him more than anything, but alongside it, was sympathy. Emotions were both complicated and confusing, sometimes even disturbing. Feelings can easily break the strongest of souls effortlessly, and there is no defeating them, no matter what one could try. Emotions, memories, pain, love; it was all eternal, engraved into your very heart and soul..This is what the Class A Hunter had wanted to say, but it just would not come as he wished...

Though X and Axl seemingly fought about everything, they actually had a lot more in common than it would appear.

"Please understand. My job is to protect you, and I'm going to fufill that." With this, he positioned himself upright, nodded his head once, and turned to leave; just as he had done previously. With difficulty, Axl resisted the increasing urge to scream at the retreating figure, or to do anything drastic. By now, he was entering the point of hysteria. Everything was occurring the same as it had before, despite any menial effort. What happened to 'it's the thought that counts?' At least he had not been as rude this time around, but it did not look as if X noticed that.

'_Maybe it's me. It can't **always** be his fault.' _He was in no mood to spend excessive time in contemplation. _'..But, whatever. I'm not staying.'_

Instinct consumed his mind soon after, his every movement frantic and desperate; as if time was of the essence. Scanning the surroundings diligently, for the first time, his sensories noticed a fragile section of the damaged wall. It was strangely convienient, but he was not about to complain. Finally, the young male materialized his weaponry; it was a sort of sensational feeling to him at moment, since he had forgotten what it was to wield a gun. Clutching his weapons as if it meant his life, he aimed them towards the center of the weakened, tarnished metal surface.

"I'll show you, X.."

---

Ick. It's four in the morning, and I still haven't gone to sleep all day. I'll fix whatever mistakes and stuff I made later. I promise.

Wait I have to vent something.

I swear if I hear, "DO YOU WANT TO ROLEPLAY!" anytime soon, I think I'm going to rip somebody's head off. I can't take it. -hisses- Okay, I'm done. Sorry.


	19. Tenacity

Moonlight illuminated the surrounding terrain, blessing both earth and water with an iridescent glow. Gentle winds traveled aimlessly, caressing the former Red Alert member's body. The sensation was perfect in its simplicity; it was almost haunting. Since he had escaped the Hunters, nothing but relief had flowed through his mind and soul. He welcomed it with open arms; however, he could not help but wonder if this was the wrong way to be thinking. He practically worshipped them, he once begged to be able to meet them in person, and he had finally been granted this privilege.

Why, then, did it feel good to get away from them? Axl did not really want to think about it too much, but it seemed he had lost control. He had lost control of himself long ago; refusal to accept such was what brought this negativity. There was no way he could blame anyone but himself, or he would become just the sort of person he had come to loathe...Red had placed blame on all those but himself, for he considered himself perfect in every way possible. The youth once understood this, and lived by that ruling, but...He did not know what to believe anymore. That was why he needed to go to battle, as much as he hated to think of murdering his old friends.

In battle, there was no room daydreaming, distracting thoughts, nor contemplation of the past. Fighting was an escape, a freedom that he could only lust for...As well as the only way to make things right between everyone, and eliminate the needless quarreling he had brought to life. It may have seemed sickening to another, but if only they spent a while in his skin, perhaps they would feel the same. But nobody had to know of his secret thoughts; everyone could go ahead and assume he just wanted revenge or something of the sort. In the end, it really had no impact on him, since he knew more than anybody that people are unpredictable.

As his destination gradually drew nearer, he could not help but feel slightly hesitant. After all, he _was_ headed back towards someone he had once considered family - something the youth should have dreaded. Despite a few second thoughts, a little bit of regret for leaving the Hunters hanging, and a flicker of expected fear when entering a potentially dangerous situation, though, he was certain this is what he had to do. This was how he could prove himself, not only to X, but to Red, and even a little bit to himself. To prove that he was not worthless or weak.

Finally, the object of Axl's determination came into view, lightening his mood ever so slightly. A metallic warship, clad with an assortment of plasma-based weaponry, crates and other cargo which probably contained even more weapons, and a cheap paint job. Axl remembered he had repeatedly told Splash Warfly to fix that, or just chip the stupid paint off. Splash had always been so stubborn though, and had told the younger that it was fine the way it was.

'_Yeah, right._'

It was kind of strange how a trip that normally he would normally consider tedious and ridiculously long now seemed relatively short, almost invigorating.

The Reploid equivalent of adrenaline was already coursing through the circuitry that formed his being, burning away all other thoughts. Except, that he wished he could thank his creator for the wonderful work he or she had accomplished in making Axl as close to human as he was. Such a thing most Reploids probably took for granted, until of course, they became unstable and succumbed to the Maverick Virus.

Such was the fate of Splash Warfly, who the former Red Alert member was prepared to confront. Of course, he'd have to fight his way through a few simple defenses, most of which wouldn't be too difficult, and with the added resolution, the task would be even simpler. While he stood at the bow of Warfly's battleship, he figured he should scan the defenses, and assess a little of the situation before he actually went rushing in. That's what he _should _have done, anyway. Before he knew it, though, his twin pistols had materialized in his hands, and he found himself in the heat of battle. On top of all that, he was enjoying every minute of it, just like he expected. At least _something_ was heading in a positive direction.

A few Reploids from scattered locations fired at him, in a patetic attempt to ward him off. Their shots, however, came slowly, giving Axl more than enough reaction time to dodge, and fire a volley of his own projectiles towards the offending Mavericks. One had jumped backwards to dodge, and had almost been successful, if not for his blatant miscalculation. The Maverick was doomed to plummet to his demise in the unmerciful waves of the ocean. Axl couldn't resist the urge to smile at the small accomplishment before heading off deeper into Splash Warfly's battleship.

The next oncoming wave was almost laughable. Most of the enemies were simple mets, and a few more of the Maverick minions Splash must have gathered. Axl completely ignored the mets for the time being, heading directly to the Reploids that may have posed a threat. He held each of his guns in opposite directions, firing madly at the silver clad Mavericks. Plasma pierced through random points on each of their bodies, until eventually one out of the flurry of attacks reached a vital point, causing the systems to malfunction or simply overheat and explode. During this onslaught, however, Axl had overlooked a few of the Reploids. One of these few just fled out of cowardice and claimed the fight was not worth it. If he ever met up again with Splash, though, the punishment would be far worse than anything Axl could ever distribute.

The other two were not quite so imprudent, and took advantage of the brief moment they had. One purposely posed as a distraction, pretending to have accidentally stumbled on his way to attack Axl. The young one turned in that instant, kicking the Maverick to the floor; Axl felt in the mood for a little hand-to-hand combat with this one. He drew his arm back to build power before releasing the energy, allowing the laws of science to evoke more strength when fist connected with face. The downed Reploid cried out once; unknown to Axl, the pitch of the scream was a cue for the other.

Being immersed in beating the Maverick senseless, he never really thought much of the other Reploid.

All the warning he had was the sound of gunshot before the searing plasma grazed his arm. The boy winced, cursing himself for dropping his guard before the battle had completely ceased. He knew it was not a vital injury, but right then, he did not care what it was. His purpose left no room for any kind of mistake, much less a stupid, careless one. Immediately, Axl sprang from the wounded Maverick, but only after a final kick was delivered - just to avoid the same former mishap. Enraged, the navy Reploid pounced onto his attacker animalistically; pounding, kicking with his knees, using all close range weaponry available to him. It proved to be more than enough, too, as his attacker was down and out long before Axl was completely finished with his physical assault.

After he was entirely certain that the Maverick was no longer a threat, Axl stopped the onrush. Now he could look forward to the enjoyment of trashing hapless mettools. With that thought, he recalled an old teaching of Red's; one that would be of assistance in this situation, and had the potential for some quick laughs. Met armor was impenatrable, at least until the little creature attempted its pathetic attack. This left it vulnerable, until it resided back into its protective shell. Still, all Reploids are flawed and have multiple weak points, like Red had once explained. A powerful blow to the plus-shaped symbol engraved on the met's armor could flip it over, and due to the spherical shape of the armor, it would be stuck that way - much like a turtle would be. Since Axl was excited and running low on patience, he decided he would not be bothered to _wait _for the thing to attack, and just finish it off quickly.

One by one, either using his armored feet or a plasma shot, each met was rendered completely helpless. Not that they had ever stood much of a chance against _anyone_, which probably caused many to question the reasoning behind their existence in the first place. Now that they were unable to fight, Axl had to wonder if it wouldn't be more entertaining to just leave them there for hours upon hours. The more he thought about it, the more humorous it seemed; he decided to go for it.

"Y'know what?" He flashed the defenseless creatures a small smirk. "I think I'll just see you guys later."

'_And by later, I mean never again._'

From there, he continued through the heart of the battleship; preparing himself for what he knew was eventually to come. He had imagined it before, picturing himself face-to-face with what had once been a friend, to engage in an unfriendly battle. That visualization only became more and more realistic, until he could really feel the unwelcoming chill in the air. Luckily, though, the opponent would simply be Splash Warfly, someone he had never grown quite as attached to as some of the other members. At least that was some consolation. There was one more driving force that shoved away any remaining second thoughts, concerns, anything that would keep him from reaching his goal.

Axl had to show X and he had to show Red. He had to show the entire world that he _could_ do this. With that, the determination consumed everything but strength once again, and the amusement from the mets had given him even more addition to his growing energy. His first real duel in such a long time; it sparked up more vivacity than anyone could ever know. More might than he, himself, thought he possessed.

With all this vigor to aid him, Axl knew that he was not afraid - even as he stared into the bitter eyes of Splash Warfly.

-

Hi, everyone! Yeah, um.. I can explain. Now I know I haven't updated in months, partly due to lack of inspiration. I take full responsibility for that. But more recently, blame Hurricane Wilma. I got power back about a week or so ago, but it was kind of flickering. It went out at all kinds of random intervals. Just when you think, "Yay! Power!" it would go off again. It sucked so badly. I'm pretty sure it has stopped doing that now, though. (I waited a few days to make sure.)

Oh, and I have one question. Is it against the rule for review responses now? I've heard in a couple places that it was, but in some recent fanfics I've seen people still do it. I like talking with you guys, so I really hope it's not a rule.

One last thing. I have to thank you all for not ranting, attacking me, sending evil animals to eat me, or inflicting any other harm on my being. You're all awesome!


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